A £31,500-a-year hairdresser is wanted to dye and braid the hair of illegal immigrants awaiting deportation.
The hair expert must know the “cultural needs” of the people they will meet at the Heathrow Immigration Removal Centre.
The role is being advertised by Mitie, which has the £290 million contract to run the centre for the government.
An ad reveals: “To provide a hair-cutting and barbering service to residents which reflects the cultural needs of the population and is in accordance with contractual, safety and security standards.”
The ideal candidate should have the “ability to deliver a range of hairdressing and barbering styles including cutting, braiding and dying”.
William Yarwood, media campaign manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance: “It’s outrageous that taxpayers are funding haircuts for people who are being deported.
“At a time when public services are crumbling and families are struggling to make ends meet, taxpayers are being forced to bankroll barbers for people who broke the law to get here.
“The only thing that deportees should be getting cut is the amount of time they spend in the UK.”
Earlier this year we revealed that thousands of pounds were being spent on hiring staff to teach balloon craft and floristry to migrants facing the boot in the same centre.
The Government was forced to remove the adverts after we highlighted the posts which involved key responsibilities “to proactively promote, design, and deliver workshops in relevant creative skills including floristry, cake decorating, balloon craft, (and) arts and craft activities to meet the needs of the residents”.
A “creatively-minded” painting tutor was also required to lead “paint parties” at the centre.
They are asked to create a “stimulating, supportive and productive environment for residents that encourages them to attend and enables them to learn and develop their skills”.
Earlier this month we showed how deportees at the Gatwick Immigration Removal Centre, run by Serco, were given art classes and IT lessons.
They take place in dedicated “comfortable and pleasant” craft rooms, according to official reports we obtained.
In one of the centres, there is a quieter place for puzzles and board games in the library.
People are held in the two centres near to the airport whilst awaiting deportation, or while their immigration status is being determined.
In some cases, men are transferred from prison to the IRCs ready to be returned to their home countries after serving part of their sentences.
The Home Office and Mitie were contacted for comment.
