9th February, 2009

The Independent has reported an allegation from an unidentified senior source that 200 Romanian construction workers from the 2012 Olympic Park site have been "quietly sacked" in the past two months during a clampdown on illegal foreign labour.

Romanian nationals face tight restrictions for employment in the UK and must hold a work permit. The Olympic Park workers had been claiming to be self-employed as they would face fewer restrictions.

However, inspectors from the UKBA have determined that the workers were in fact full-time employees of construction firms and have warned that both the workers and their employers will face heavy fines if they remain on site.

As part of the new Points Based System (PBS), employers caught using illegal workers can face a penalty of up to £10,000 per worker. Economic migrants benefit the country and contribute to the UK economy but only if employers play according to the rules.