Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report entitled 12 Years of Modern Slavery, published by Kalayaan on 16 June 2024, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reinstating the pre-2012 visa regime for migrant domestic workers.

We keep all policies and immigration routes under review. There are a number of protections in place for overseas domestic workers (ODWs) designed to minimise the risk of exploitation.

ODWs are able to change their employer without notifying the Home Office, to ensure those who need to escape unsuitable conditions can do so quickly and without additional administration. Employers of ODWs must act in accordance with UK employment law, including the National Minimum Wage.

Workers who find themselves a victim of modern slavery are protected by the National Referral Mechanism and may be eligible to apply for permission to stay as a Domestic Worker who is a Victim of Modern Slavery.