There are an estimated 430,000 illegal migrants living in the UK (source details), and employers currently have no reliable way of establishing whether or not a job applicant has a right to work here.
The National Identity Scheme will help employers find out about the immigration status of job applicants and about any visa restrictions which mean they cannot legally work in the UK. This will speed up the checking process and could be an advantage to those immigrants who are entitled to work. It could also help to identify people who try to work here illegally and could deter potential illegal immigrants from coming to the UK.
