Members of Parliament recently debated an amendment to the government’s Modern Slavery Bill that would restore vital protections for migrant domestic workers – protections that were stripped away by the very same government back in April 2012.
The old Overseas Domestic Worker visa allowed individuals to change employer (but not work sector) once in the UK, allowing them to escape situations of exploitation and abuse. That visa was described by the Home Affairs Select Committee as “the single most important issue in preventing the forced labor and trafficking of such workers,” and it’s easy to see why.
New visa arrangements introduced in 2012, however, have tied workers to potentially abusive employers. Such tied visas are well known in regimes with shameful records on human rights, and women’s rights in particular. Unsurprisingly, research by service providers shows that reports of exploitation have increased among those subjected to the new system – undermining the law's objectives to fight modern slavery and hold perpetrators to account.
The Modern Slavery Bill should be seen as an opportunity to reinstate vital protections for this extremely vulnerable group. Enabling migrant domestic workers to change employer, and renew their visa annually if in employment, would be a significant step toward preventing modern day slavery, enabling people to seek justice without fear of deportation.
As the Joint Committee on the Draft Modern Slavery Bill recognized, the 2012 policy change only “strengthened the hand of the slave master against the victim.” It’s time to redress that balance.
