legislation

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 imposes employer penalties and statutory excuse mechanisms under s. 15, criminal sanctions under s. 21, and border passenger reporting duties under s. 31 on employers and carriers.

88 provisions in 3 parts · official text ↗

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impact by vertical

Summary

What this law does

Establishes civil penalty and criminal liability regimes preventing unlawful employment of adults subject to immigration control, provides statutory excuses via prescribed verification or DVS-registered services, and mandates carrier passenger and crew data reporting.

Why it matters to Signicat and its customers

No Signicat-specific relevance narrative is stored for this instrument; the stored applicability is shown below.

Who is bound: employer; online matching service; responsible person in respect of a ship or aircraft; owner or agent; captain; person seeking to enter the United Kingdom and claiming to have the right of abode · Regulators: Secretary of State

Transportation: Carriers must supply passenger and crew data, and transport operators face mandatory right to work employee verification.
Banking Finance: Financial institutions must carry out mandatory right to work verification for all staff to prevent civil penalty liability.
Public Sector Health: Public authorities and healthcare bodies must verify right to work for workers and employees.
Energy Utility Telco: Utilities and telecoms employers must perform statutory right to work checks on personnel to establish statutory excuse.
Insurance Pensions: Insurance and pension employers must execute compliant right to work identity checks on prospective employees.
Services: Professional service firms and labour agencies must verify worker immigration status, with liability extending across multi-tier contract chains.
Media Entertainment: Media and entertainment organisations must verify right to work for production crews, contractors, and direct staff.
Manufacturing Construction: Construction and manufacturing employers face extended statutory right to work obligations across worker and sub-contractor arrangements.
Commerce: Retail and commercial businesses must conduct prescribed document or identity verification to avoid civil penalties.

Key obligations each linked to the provision it comes from

An employer commits a breach by employing an adult subject to immigration control who lacks leave to enter or remain, or whose leave is invalid, ceased, or subject to a condition preventing employment. The Secretary of State may issue a penalty notice specifying reasons, amount, payment methods, objection or appeal rights, and enforcement, requiring payment before a date at least 28 days after notice is given. An employer is excused from paying if showing compliance with prescribed document verification, recording, or retention requirements, which may specify steps using services provided by a DVS-registered person.

s. 15

checks.right_to_worktrust_framework.dvs_certificationidentity_proofing.documentevidence.audit_trailretention.archive

A person commits an offence under subsection (1) if without reasonable excuse he fails to comply with a requirement imposed under section 32(2) or (3), section 33(2), or regulations made under section 32A. On summary conviction under subsection (3), the person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks in England and Wales or 6 months in Scotland or Northern Ireland, a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale, or both.

s. 34

evidence.audit_trail

The specified authorities must share information obtained or held in the course of their functions that relates to passengers, crew, freight, flights, or voyages under a joint order, to the extent that it is likely to be of use for immigration purposes, police purposes, or Revenue and Customs purposes under subsection (2).

s. 36

sharing.secure

An authorised person under subsection (1) may search a searchable ship, aircraft, vehicle, or other thing to determine whether there are individuals an immigration officer might wish to examine. If such an individual is discovered under subsection (7), the authorised person may search the individual for identity or harm items, detain them for up to three hours pending an immigration officer, or convey them to a delivery location, using reasonable force.

s. 40

identity_proofing.data_verification

Arrangements under section 40(6)(c) must provide for a Crown servant to monitor, inspect, and investigate authorised persons under subsection (1). A person commits an offence under subsection (6) if they abscond from detention under section 40(7)(c), abscond during conveyance under section 40(7)(d), or obstruct or assault an authorised person.

s. 41

evidence.audit_trail

Part summaries

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Verification findings (94)

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Instrument tier unavailable

Change history as published

Ss. 1-6 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 60 table; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9)) · repeated 6×

S. 13 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 57(3); S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9))

S. 38 repealed (24.12.2008) by Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (c. 28), s. 100(5), Sch. 1 para. 4, Sch. 9 Pt. 2 (with s. 101(2)); S.I. 2008/3296, art. 2

S. 47 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 5; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9))

S. 48 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 7 table; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9))

S. 51 repealed (15.12.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 74; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 8(d) (with art. 13) (as amended (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 8(5))

S. 52 repealed (15.12.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 74; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 8(d) (with art. 13) (as amended (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 8(5))

S. 58 repealed (21.7.2009) by Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 (c. 11), s. 58(6), Sch. Pt. 2

Sch. 1 paras. 2-6 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 60 table; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9)) · repeated 5×

Sch. 1 paras. 7-9 repealed (15.2.2010) by The Transfer of Functions of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/21), art. 1, Sch. 3 (with Sch. 4) · repeated 3×

Sch. 1 para. 10 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 60 table; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9))

Sch. 1 para. 11 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 paras. 57(5), 60; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9))

Sch. 1 para. 12 repealed (15.2.2010) by The Transfer of Functions of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/21), art. 1, Sch. 3 (with Sch. 4)

Sch. 1 para. 13 repealed (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 60 table; S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(e) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9))

Sch. 2 para. 6 repealed (15.12.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 9 para. 76(a); S.I. 2014/2771, art. 8(d) (with art. 13) (as amended (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 8(5))

Pending effects amendments not yet applied to this text

s. 32(1)(a) (b) substituted by Police and Justice Act 2006 s. 14(2) · Effective date unknown · s. 32

s. 32(5) word repealed by Police and Justice Act 2006 Sch. 15 Pt. 2 · Effective date unknown · s. 32

s. 32(5)(d) and word inserted by Police and Justice Act 2006 s. 14(3) · Effective date unknown · s. 32

s. 33(5) word repealed by Police and Justice Act 2006 Sch. 15 Pt. 2 · Effective date unknown · s. 33

s. 33(5)(d) and word inserted by Police and Justice Act 2006 s. 14(3) · Effective date unknown · s. 33

Show all 12

s. 36(9) words inserted by Police and Justice Act 2006 s. 14(4) · Effective date unknown · s. 36

s. 36(9) word repealed by Police and Justice Act 2006 Sch. 15 Pt. 2 · Effective date unknown · s. 36

s. 38(5A) inserted by Police and Justice Act 2006 s. 14(5) · Effective date unknown · s. 38

s. 43(1)(b) omitted by Immigration Act 2016 Sch. 11 para. 2(i) · Effective date unknown · s. 43

s. 43(2) omitted by Immigration Act 2016 Sch. 11 para. 2(i) · Effective date unknown · s. 43

s. 43(5)(6)(7) omitted by Immigration Act 2016 Sch. 11 para. 2(i) · Effective date unknown · s. 43

s. 44 omitted by Immigration Act 2016 Sch. 11 para. 28 · Effective date unknown · s. 44

Full TOC · table of contents Expand all parts

3 parts · 88 provisions. Open a provision for its text and, where available, its one-line summary.

· 68 provisions

1 Variation of leave to enter or remain

2 Removal

3 Grounds of appeal

4 Entry clearance

5 Failure to provide documents

6 Refusal of leave to enter

7 Deportation

8 Legal aid

9 Abandonment of appeal

10 Grants

11 Continuation of leave

12 Asylum and human rights claims: definition

13 Appeal from within United Kingdom: certification of unfounded claim

14 Consequential amendments

14A Application of sections 15 to 24 to other working arrangements

15 Penalty

15A Extension of liability under section 15

22 Offence: bodies corporate, &c.

23 Discrimination: code of practice

24 Immigration bail

25 Interpretation

26 Repeal

27 Documents produced or found

28 Fingerprinting

29 Attendance for fingerprinting

30 Proof of right of abode

31 Provision of information to immigration officers

32 Passenger and crew information: police powers

32A Regulations requiring information to be provided to police

32B Penalty for breach of section 32 or 32A

33 Freight information: police powers

34 Offence

35 Power of Revenue and Customs to obtain information

36 Duty to share information

37 Information sharing: code of practice

38 Disclosure of information for security purposes

39 Disclosure to law enforcement agencies

40 Searches: contracting out

41 Section 40: supplemental

42 Information: embarking passengers

43 Accommodation

44 Failed asylum-seekers: withdrawal of support

45 Integration loans

46 Inspection of detention facilities

47 Removal: persons with statutorily extended leave

48 Removal: cancellation of leave

49 Capacity to make nationality application

50 Procedure

51 Fees

52 Fees: supplemental

53 Arrest pending deportation

54 Refugee Convention: construction

55 Refugee Convention: certification

56 Deprivation of citizenship

57 Deprivation of right of abode

58 Acquisition of British nationality, &c.

59 Detained persons: national minimum wage

SCHEDULE 1 · 14 provisions

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

SCHEDULE 2 · 6 provisions

Impact profile

Transportation

Banking finance

Public sector health

Energy, utilities & telco

Insurance pensions

Services

Media entertainment

Manufacturing construction

Commerce

Dimensions

Mechanism strength

Signicat obligation

Urgency

Pending

Penalties

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years under s. 21; fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale or imprisonment up to 51 weeks under s. 34.

Definitions

adult

“a person who has attained the age of 16”

s. 25

prescribed

“prescribed by order of the Secretary of State.”

s. 25

References

uk:ukpga/2000/11

uk:ukpga/2002/29

uk:ukpga/2025/18