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David Cameron will today pledge to make illegal working a criminal offence in its own right as he unveils plans to clamp down on immigration.

The measures will allow the police to seize the wages of people who are not entitled to work in the UK as proceeds of crime.

The Immigration Bill will be in the Conservative Government’s first Queen’s Speech.

Mr Cameron will say: “The truth is it has been too easy to work illegally and employ illegal workers here. So we’ll take a radical step – we’ll make illegal working a criminal offence in its own right.

'A strong country controls immigration'

“That means wages paid to illegal migrants will be seized as proceeds of crime and businesses will be told when their workers’ visas expire, so if you’re involved in illegal working – employer or employee – you’re breaking the law.”

The prime minister also plans to curtail access to public services for illegal workers and take action against employers who “don’t play by the rules”.

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He will say: “A strong country isn’t one that pulls up the drawbridge. It is one that controls immigration.

“Because if you have uncontrolled immigration, you have uncontrolled pressure on public services. And that is a basic issue of fairness.

'The British people want these things sorted'

“Uncontrolled immigration can damage our labour market and push down wages. It means too many people entering the UK legally but staying illegally.

“The British people want these things sorted.”

He will say this involves “bolstering deportations” and cracking down on “exploitation of unskilled workers,” stating: “That starts with making Britain a less attractive place to come and work illegally. And we’re going to get far better at training our own people to fill these gaps from overseas...

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“With this Immigration Bill, and our wider action, we will put an end to houses packed full of illegal workers; stop illegal migrants stalling deportation; give British people the skills to do the jobs Britain needs. We are for working people.

“For them, we will control and reduce immigration.”

Close loophole

The new legislation will include powers to allow councils to evict illegal migrants more quickly. Banks will be required to check bank accounts against databases of people here illegally;

Foreign criminals will also be tagged so their movements can be monitored while they await deportation. It will also be an offence for businesses and recruitment agencies to recruit overseas without advertising in the UK.

The new offence of illegal working will “close the loophole which means people who are here illegally can’t benefit from working and police can seize wages as proceeds of crime”.