BRUSSELS, May 17 (UPI) -- EU employers that hire illegal immigrants would face tough sanctions, including fines or criminal charges under a proposal approved by the European Commission.
"Illegal migrants will continue coming to the EU countries while it is easy to find an illegal job," EU Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini said after the draft legislation was unanimously approved by the European Commission, the EU Observer reported.
Those employing illegal immigrants would face fines and the loss of public contracts and would have to pay the cost of the illegal immigrant's return, taxes and social contribution, the Observer reported.
Employers would face criminal charges for repeated violations or exploitative working conditions or if they hire a victim of human trafficking.
The law would punish individuals who hire undocumented immigrants as nannies or other workers, as well as companies, the EU Observer reported.
The 27-nation European Union has an estimated 8 million illegal immigrants.
