- By Shivangi Sharma
- Mon, 12 Jan 2026 07:21 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
An Indian-origin woman, Komal Shinde, has been accused of selling fraudulent UK work visas to migrants for up to £19,000, after an undercover investigation exposed a growing black market operating on social media platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.
According to a Daily Mail report, Shinde runs Krishiv Consultancy Ltd, which allegedly offered bogus Skilled Worker visas using fake job offers, forged documents and sham payroll records. Investigators said the operation helped migrants enter or remain in the UK illegally, despite Shinde allegedly having no official registration or legal authority.
Undercover reporters posing as applicants met Shinde, who claimed she herself was in the UK on a student visa. During the meeting, she allegedly admitted to arranging Skilled Worker visas for positions in care homes, warehouses and fast food restaurants across the country.
Prices reportedly ranged from £12,000 to £19,000. In many cases, migrants were allegedly told they would not need to perform the job they were sponsored for. Instead, employers would transfer a monthly salary into their bank accounts, only for the money to be returned immediately in cash, creating a fake paper trail to deceive the Home Office.
‘Discretion Is Essential,’ Shinde Allegedly Warned
Shinde reportedly said she took a £1,000 cut for arranging each visa, with the remaining amount shared among sponsoring employers. She allegedly warned applicants to maintain secrecy to prevent the scheme from being exposed.
She also offered to arrange Global Talent visas, intended for individuals with exceptional ability in fields such as science, technology or the arts, for up to £30,000. She claimed certificates and experience letters could be created to support applications and said several previous cases had been successful.
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Widespread Abuse Of Skilled Worker Visas
The revelations follow a damning Commons report that found “widespread” abuse of the Skilled Worker visa system. The report warned the Home Office had little clarity on how many of the 1.2 million migrants who entered the UK through this route had overstayed or were working illegally.
It also suggested that rogue operators had already found ways around a government crackdown announced last year. Following the investigation, the Home Office said it had launched inquiries into the alleged illegal activity and warned that any wrongdoing would face the “full force of the law.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp described the case as “shocking,” accusing the government of losing control of the immigration system and urging urgent action to restore border enforcement.