Thank you for contacting me about asylum seekers and employment.
The UK has a proud tradition of providing a place of safety for refugees. Each claim for asylum is carefully considered and where it is found that individuals are in need of protection, asylum is given. Those with refugee status have immediate and unrestricted access to the labour market.
Asylum seekers are allowed to apply for permission to work, in jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, if their claim has not been decided after 12 months through no fault of their own. The current policy aims to strike a balance between being equitable towards asylum seekers, while considering the rights and needs of our society as a whole, prioritising jobs for British citizens and those with leave to remain here, including refugees.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.