New laws affecting migrant workers will mean SMEs have to act as a "pseudo immigration officer", one industry body believes.
Simon Brailut, spokesperson for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said that while he was "perfectly happy" that SMEs are required to conduct basic check to ensure that the people they are employing are not working illegally, new regulations were unacceptable.
He said: "When we get to a situation where employers are being fined vast amounts for employing somebody, unknowingly, who is working illegally in this country, then that's really very unfair."
Mr Brailut added that it was up to the government to make sure that people seeking employment in the UK were legally allowed to work here.
The new measures to tackle illegal migrant workers come into force at the end of February.
Under the new laws anyone who knowingly employs an illegal worker could face a fine or even a prison sentence.
