Notes on Asylum Seekers and the Right to Work

At present, asylum seekers are not allowed to work during the first year of their application for political asylum. They can apply for permission to work after those 12 months but even then permission to work is not always granted.

• “Council Directive 2003/9/EC of 27 January 2003 laying down minimum standards of reception for asylum seekers”, Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees in the UK (ICAR), 2005.
  
• “ECRE Information Note on the Council Directive 2003/9/EC of 27 January 2003 Laying down Minimum Standards for the Reception of Asylum Seekers”, The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), June 2003.
• “Good practice in the reception and integration of refugees: networking across Europe”, The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), November 2001.
  

Those who have had their claims refused are not allowed to work at all. They are given subsistence support in the form of vouchers if they are unable to return to their countries of origin and sign forms to say they are willing to go back to their countries as soon as possible.

• “Support for failed asylum seekers”, Tony McNulty, Home Office minister for immigration, citizenship and nationality, The Guardian, March 23, 2006.
  
• “Refugee Council condemns vouchers as expensive, damaging and proven to be wrong,” Refugee Council, March 20 2006.
• “Asylum voucher extension sought”, BBC News, March 16, 2006.
• “Asylum seekers’ vouchers”, The Guardian, September 28, 2000.
  

Those who cannot sign to say they will go back to their countries of origin are deprived of both the right to work and subsistence support.

Some of the effects of not working and not receiving subsistence support.

• “Living ghost endurance challenge”, Jonathan Cox, March 29 -- April 6 2006.
  
• “Charities urge Britain to ditch forcing refugee children into care,” Worldpress.org, February 25, 2006.
• “Asylum seekers needlessly made destitute,” Anne Singh, Independent Race and Refugee News Network, April 19, 2005.
  
• “Asylum seekers left destitute”, politics.co.uk, January 8 2005.
  
• “Government policy leaves refugee children destitute,” Worldpress.org, November 17, 2005.
• "'Dispersal of asylum seekers creating ghettos in deprived areas’, says Home Office report”, The Guardian, December 23, 2005.
• “Asylum policies make 10 000 people destitute a year”, The Guardian, February 4, 2004.
• “Destitution by design -- withdrawal of support from in-country asylum applicants,” Greater London Authority, London, February 2004.
• "Breaking the Cycle: Taking Stock of Progress and Priorities for the Future", Social Exclusion Unit, London, September 2004.

Why should asylum seekers should be allowed to work?

Benefits of work or gainful occupation or employment on the health (in the broadest meaning of the word "health") of individuals and communities and conversely,

The effects of enforced idleness/unemployment on the health of individuals and communities

• “Protecting the human rights of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people,” Human Rights Watch.
• “Newspapers flout ruling on asylum seekers”, The Guardian, December 31, 2004.

Benefits to the economy

• “Are immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers an economic advantage,” ICAR 2005.
• “Any talents to declare Sir?” David Smith, The Sunday Times, September 11, 2005.
• “Report shows the economic contribution asylum seekers make to the economy,” Refugee Council, June 15, 2005.
• “A place of refuge -- a positive approach to asylum seekers and refugees in the U.K.”, Church of England, March 2005.
• “Asylum and employment: developments in the creation of a common European asylum system”, Peer Beneke, April 1 2004, ECRE.
  

Who has been calling for asylum seekers to be allowed to work?

Asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants and organizations representing them

• “Asylum seekers, the employment concession and access to the UK labour market”, [PDF file], ASSET UK.
• “Afghan hijackers aid calls for asylum work rights”, Worldpress.org, May 14, 2006.
  
• “They have hands, let them work”, National Coalition of Anti-deportation Campaigns (NCADC), Feburay 17, 2006.
• “January 8th Stand up for asylum seekers,” LCADAS.
  
• “Let asylum seekers work”, Positive Action in Housing, June 7, 2005.
  
• “Positive immigration and asylum rights”, The Black Manifesto 2005.
• “Religious leaders urge British government to stop victimising asylum seekers”, Worldpress.org, December 17, 2005.
• “Call to employ asylum seekers”, BBC News, May 27, 2003.
  

Health professionals

• ‘“Asylum seekers should be issued temporary work permits’ – say physiotherapists”, Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, May 12, 2004.
• “Worried about xenophobia? Then let asylum seekers work”, Theodore Dalrymple, Telegraph, January 16, 2004.

Parliamentarians

• “47 MPs call on UK to grant Zimbabwe asylum seekers right to work”, New Zimbabwe, January 17, 2006.
• “EDM 1293: Zimbabwean asylum seekers and the right to work”, House of Commons.
• “Failed asylum seekers 'must work'”, BBC News, June 8, 2004.
• Caroline Lucas MEP, May 31, 2001.