Employment for asylum seekers &refugees

In order to work in the UK, you need to have permission to work. It is against the law for a UK employer to knowingly employ a person subject to immigration control who is not permitted to work. So you may be asked to show proof that you are allowed to work.

Permission to work for refugees and people with ELR

If you have been granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR) as a refugee or exceptional leave to remain (ELR), you are automatically entitled to work in the UK. Confirmation of your eligibility to work will be shown in the letter you receive from the Home Office granting your status.

Permission to work for asylum seekers

Since 23rd July 2002, the Home Office has removed the right for asylum seekers to apply for permission to work. However if you are an asylum seeker and had already been given permission to work before this date, you will still have permission to work. Therefore if you did not apply for permission to work before this date, you will not be able to do so now.

Asylum Seekers on Appeal

If you were granted permission to work before 23^rd July 2002, but your asylum claim has since been refused, you may continue to work if you are awaiting the outcome of an immigration appeal. The advice given by the Home Office to employers is that it is lawful to employ asylum seekers “provided that they have permission to work”.

Voluntary work

Doing voluntary work, that is, unpaid work can be an excellent way of gaining work experience in the UK. Asylum seekers do not need to have permission to work in order to undertake voluntary work. If you are offered a volunteering opportunity, the employer will not pay you a wage, but you should be reimbursed for your travel expenses and for any meals taken during your working time.

If you need help in finding volunteer opportunities, you should contact the Information Centre of the National Centre for Volunteering (Tel. 020 7520 8900). Alternatively you can contact one of the organisations listed on the back of this leaflet.

• Careers offices - you may register with careers offices for them to inform you of suitable vacancies. These services are particularly useful for refugees aged 16-19.
• Internet - has many advantages and is becoming increasingly popular among jobseekers and employers.
• Speculative approaches - 50% of jobs are not advertised. Many people get jobs through word-of-mouth and making direct approaches to prospective employers.

To make approach speculatively you could:

• Send an employer a spec letter and CV;
• Drop by on a spec visit (but first check if it is ok); or
• Make a spec phone call.

For more information on finding work, contact RETAS (details on the back of this leaflet).

Preparing for an interview

It is important to be well prepared for the interview. Make sure you do your research to find out information about the company and the job before you go to the interview. You have only got a short space of time to convince the interviewer(s) that you are the person they are looking for - even if you do not know exactly what that is.

If whilst seeking work you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, you have the right to complain to an employment tribunal. If the complaint is upheld the tribunal will normally order the employer to pay you compensation. If you feel that you have been discriminated against for any reason, you should seek advice from an advice centre, or phone one of the ROAP agencies listed on the back of this leaflet.

After you have found a job

If you are in receipt of either welfare benefits from the Benefits Agency, asylum support from your local authority or asylum support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), you should inform them if you start working, as this might affect the amount of money or support you are getting. It is your responsibility to do this, as explained to you in the warnings and declaration on each application form for welfare assistance. If there is a breach of agreement, the support agency can stop your benefits and take various courses of action. For instance, they might ask for the overpayment to be paid back and/or take legal action against you.

In any case, if you are not sure about what to do if you find a job, either full-time or part-time, it is in your best interest to seek independent advice from an advice centre dealing with employment issues.

How to find a job

• In person: If a job advert says to ‘come in’, or ‘enquire within’, make sure you are prepared for an informal interview. Take a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and dress appropriately.
• In writing: Send your CV with a covering letter, stressing any relevant experience.
• Send/telephone for an application: Make sure you are clear about which particular post you want an application form for. Mention the reference number if there is one. Speak clearly on the telephone, and spell any difficult names or places.
• By telephone: Sometimes an employer will give brief, informal interviews over the telephone. Make sure you are prepared to answer any questions about yourself, and have any questions you want to ask prepared before you telephone.

Where to find jobs:

• Newspapers - local, national, daily and weekly
• Shop windows - especially for jobs in retail or warehousing
• Trade magazines or professional journals
• Jobcentres - try to visit often
• Council vacancy lists - these are displayed in local libraries
• TV and radio - Oracle, Jobfinder on teletex, local radio stations and special programmes

Please note that the information in this leaflet is not intended to be a full explanation of the law or of your rights: for detailed advice about your own circumstances, you should contact a specialist adviser or a solicitor.

For further information, contact one of the ROAP partnership organisations:

For advice on the asylum application process contact:

Asylum Aid

28 Commercial Street

London E1 6LS

Tel. 020 7377 5123

Fax. 020 7247 7789

For advice on welfare benefits and asylum support contact:

Central London Advice Service (CLAS)

Derry House

Penfold Street

London NW8 8HJ

Tel. 020 7402 6750 ext. 23

Fax. 020 7224 8264

For advice on adult education, training and employment contact:

Refugee Education & Training Advisory Service (RETAS)

14 Dufferin Street

London EC1Y 8PD

Tel. 020 7426 5837/5817

Fax. 020 7251 1314

Printed: March 2003