Why Freedom to Change Employers is Essential for Domestic Workers

Many migrant domestic workers arrive in the United Kingdom on visas that tie their legal immigration status to a single employer. This means their ability to stay in the country, work legally, and support their families depends entirely on one person or household.

The Problem with “Right to Change Employer” for Domestic Workers

Domestic workers technically have the right to change employers, but this right is limited by the 6-month Overseas Domestic Worker (ODW) visa. Since the ODW visa is non-renewable, leaving an employer within this period can leave workers without a legal way to continue working.

This means that, in practice, the system still ties workers to the visa rather than the employer. It allows a legal framework where abuse and exploitation can continue, even if workers can technically change jobs. Without the ability to renew their visa, the “freedom” to change employers offers very little real protection

This arrangement may seem like a way to manage migration, it creates serious risks of abuse, exploitation, and modern slavery. It leaves workers vulnerable and powerless — which is why freedom to change employers is a vital reform.

Protecting Human Rights and Dignity

• Tied visas often trap workers in abusive or unsafe situations because they fear that leaving will make them “undocumented” and subject to detention or deportation.

• This undermines their basic human rights, labour rights, and personal safety.

• Allowing workers to change employers empowers them to leave abusive environments without risking their legal status.

  
  

Preventing Exploitation and Modern Slavery

• When workers cannot leave, employers hold disproportionate power over every aspect of their lives — from working hours and pay to housing and personal freedom.

• This power imbalance can lead to:

  • Wage theft or withholding of wages

  • Excessive working hours with no rest

  • Verbal, physical, or sexual abuse

  • Confiscation of passports or personal documents

• Granting the right to change employers removes the conditions that allow modern slavery to exist.

  
  

Empowering Workers and Strengthening Their Voices

• Workers who can change jobs are more confident to speak up about unfair treatment or demand their legal entitlements.

• This increases their bargaining power and self-esteem, encouraging healthier, more respectful working relationships.

• It also enables them to seek better opportunities and build a stable, dignified life for themselves and their families.

Creating a Fair and Accountable System

• Under the proposed change, workers would simply register their new employer with the Home Office, ensuring proper oversight and preventing misuse.

• This would make the system more flexible, transparent, and responsive, while still maintaining government records and safeguarding immigration control.

• A regulated but flexible system benefits both workers and ethical employers who value fair labour standards.

Supporting Integration and Wellbeing

• The ability to move freely between jobs gives workers hope, stability, and motivation to contribute positively to the community.

• It improves mental health, wellbeing, and social inclusion, which are essential for a thriving, just society.

Building a Future of Fairness

Freedom to change employers is not just a legal or technical issue — it’s about dignity, justice, and equality.For domestic workers, it means the chance to live free from fear, build a better future, and be treated as human beings, not as property tied to an employer.

By supporting this change, we can end the cycle of exploitation and move closer to a world where every worker is protected, respected, and valued.

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Migrant domestic workers who have fled abusive employment urgently need your help. They’ve left behind exploitation and are taking brave steps toward safety—but they need support for basic needs like shelter, food, clothing, and counseling.

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