Indian restaurants fined for employing illegal workers

At least 15 Indian restaurants have been fined hundreds of thousands of pounds for employing illegal migrants, including Indians, who do not have the right to work in the United Kingdom.

The crackdown launched in February on employers for using illegal migrants has led to a total fine of 303,000 pounds levied on 35 companies, including 15 Indian restaurants across the UK.

Many Indian restaurants have resorted using illegal migrants from the Indian sub-continent in their kitchens due to the restrictions imposed on employing chefs from the sub- continent.

However, trade union leaders have expressed concerns over the government's strategy.

"Any steps to shame bad employers into treating their workers better are worth trying, but we'd prefer to focus on prevention and making sure migrant workers aren't exploited in the first place," Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said.

"Naming and shaming is locking the stable door after the bad employer has bolted - by the time an employer gets on this register their exploited and abused migrant workforce will probably have been kicked out of the country."

Under new rules, employer face a fine of 10,000 pounds for employing those who do not have the right to work.