Parts of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act, which came into effect at the end of last week, will require small businesses to understand and verify up to 13 different forms of identification when employing foreign workers, including recognising the passports of 27 EU member states.
Small businesses face fines of £10,000 if they employ people illegally, even if they do so without knowing it.
FSB employment chairman Alan Tyrrell said it was ludicrous to expect small businesses to understand and implement complicated immigration rules, pointing out that the guidance notes alone for this piece of legislation run to nearly 30 pages.
"It is totally unfair to expect small business owners to act as immigration officers and then threaten them with huge fines if they slip up," Tyrrell said.
"It is doubly unfair when the government then fails to adequately publicise the new rules. Immigration policy and the implementation of it is a matter for the government, not for small business owners."
The FSB has 210,000 members across the small business sector, including the print industry.
Have your say in the Printweek Poll
Related stories
Latest comments
"I am so pleased that all the staff at Reflections who were made redundant will finally get the money they are owed. Unfortunatly for all the staff at Wren Packaging who were made redundant, myself..."
"Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this Jo, and PrintWeek!
Please feel free to get in touch with the Howden Print Team to arrange your own Free of Charge Cyber Micro-Penetration Test to help..."
"I never quite understand the statements such as "achieved such a positive outcome for this well-established business".
The established business unfortunately failed and no longer exists, a..."
Up next...
Commitment, presence and energy will be much missed
Tributes paid to Lascelle Barrow
Around 300 roles may be affected
International Paper to close five UK packaging sites
Asset ownership delayed process
Reflections to be liquidated
'Start of a new era'