By Julia Harris

How ironic that the former Minister for Immigration, Mr Mark Harper, has been caught employing an illegal housekeeper or cleaner – that really did make my day!

Surely, Mr Harper of all people should understand who is allowed to legally work in the UK and I am amazed that a man in his elevated position would not know that he needed to keep checking his cleaner’s visa status?

As his Department sets the Immigration rules, he must have known who is allowed or not allowed to work legally in the UK?

It does make me chuckle that while I have been busy lobbying at the Home Office and talking to the Migration Advisory Committee about the lack of applicants, with the relevant skill set, to fill jobs skills in the domestic sector and have been repeatedly asked why can’t we recruit British or even EU Nationals to do the jobs, that the former Immigration Minister has obviously encountered similar problems, hence why he decided to employ a cleaner who was working here illegally.

As well as checking that all applicants have the relevant skills and experience, we at the Housekeeper Company thoroughly check all documentation for our candidates, and provide proof to all clients, to ensure that they all have the right to legally work in the UK.

So Mr Harper I would be delighted to help you find a new cleaner……..one who is actually allowed to work here!

Julia Harris is one of the most trusted and respected names in childcare and domestic recruitment. She is a passionate advocate for families’ rights to quality and flexible home based childcare. She has advised Granada Media and the BBC on drama story lines featuring nannies and her expert views on childcare and domestic help have featured in the national press. Julia has advised Government Ministers on Childcare Strategy and continues to lobby Parliamentary Committees on the future for domestic workers in the UK.