Shopping centres across the UK could be affected by Home Office claims that 5,000 illegal immigrants were mistakenly cleared to work as security staff.
The Security Industry Authority has granted licences to security staff that don't have work visas, and now thousands could have their licences revoked, potentially affecting frontline security.
An SIA spokeswoman said: "There is no legal responsibility for the SIA to carry out right to work checks; that is the role of the employer. Employers should not accept the possession of an SIA licence as proof of the rights of their potential employees to work.
"Swift action has been taken to ensure that all current, previous and future SIA applications undergo thorough right to work checks through BIA (Borders & Immigration Agency). Since July this year the SIA has carried out right to work checks on 100 per cent of applicants, excluding EU and EEA nationals who automatically have the right to work in the UK.
"Where it is subsequently discovered that a licence holder does not have the right to work in the UK the licence will be revoked."
OCS Security, which has contracts with numerous shopping centres, promised swift action. "Where there is any doubt about the validity of any documentation, the individual is suspended from duty pending investigation or dismissed from our employment," it said in a statement to clients.
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