UK to mandate digital IDs for workers to curb illegal migration

LONDON: Britain on Friday said it would introduce a mandatory digital ID scheme for British citizens and residents starting a new job as a measure to deter illegal immigration.

"It will make it tougher to work illegally, making our borders more secure," PM Keir Starmer said in a statement announcing the move, which had been previously reported. Polling shows immigration is top of voters' concerns in Britain, with Starmer under intense pressure to stop migrants entering the country illegally. The plans, which govt had previously said it was considering, drew criticism from opponents who say it would not deter migrants and could infringe on civil liberties.

"It's laughable that those already breaking immigration law will suddenly comply, or digital IDs will have any impact on illegal work, which thrives on cash-in-hand payments," said a spokesperson for Nigel Farage's Reform UK Party, which leads opinion polls ahead of an election not due until 2029. Govt said the ID would be held on people's mobile phones and would become a mandatory part of checks that employers already have to make when hiring a worker by end of current parliament in 2029. It would, in time, also be used to provide access to other services.

(This is a Reuters story)