When Kavin* travelled to the UK from Sri Lanka last year, he was excited for a fresh start. A keen sportsman who’d previously worked as a personal trainer, he’d secured a visa and a job in a convenience store in the north of England, and was full of hopes and dreams for his new life. But his reality quickly descended into a nightmare.
The shop’s manager, whom Kavin’s family had known in Sri Lanka and who had sponsored his visa, took away his phone, passport and visa when he arrived in the UK. He forced Kavin to work long hours without breaks or any possibility of time off. After a month of gruelling labour, Kavin was paid £100 – far, far below the national minimum wage.
But when Kavin raised these issues with his manager, he was threatened with losing his job – and his right to remain in the UK.
