The new measures, which will come into force next year, also include civil penalties for businesses which have been negligent in checking the immigration status of their staff.

The proposals are part of the Illegal Working Action Plan, which is part of a wider initiative to tackle illegal immigration and its consequences.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:

"To combat illegal immigration it is not enough to stop illegal journeys. We have to close down the illegal jobs that tempt people to try their luck coming to Britain.

"That means making it easier for companies to check whether someone is here legally - but also coming down much harder on businesses which break the rules or turn a blind eye."