Inside the Black Market Selling Fake Jobs to Migrants So They Can Stay in the UK
28th January 2026
“In many cases these were pitched as senior-level roles, but they obviously don’t exist.”
A Times investigation by senior investigations reporter Shanti Das reveals how criminal networks are exploiting vulnerable migrants by selling fake job credentials which would allow them to remain in the UK for up to £20,000. The scheme uses real Home Office-approved companies to issue false paperwork for jobs that do not exist, with much of the activity taking place openly on public Facebook groups.