Refugee Action - Lift the Ban report. Allow refuges to work after they have waited six months for a decision on their asylum claim

I’m all for refugees being allowed to work, whatever their skill set. It’s such a waste of talent in so many cases. It would also relieve that tax payer of footing the bill. The skill shortage list is obviously not working for us as seen by vacancies for hospitality staff, care workers as well as those mentioned above.

I heard that Germany is training refugees as HGV drivers.

The government is failing to protect the interests of business and the general public and being paid handsomely for doing b***er all!

It is absurd that refugee doctors, nurses, engineers, HGV drivers, and so many other skilled people are prevented from working in the UK.

There is plenty of low skilled work that migrants could do at least they could earn their keep while they are here. The Tories are dogma bound that our own citizens are going to fill the vacancies but havn’t got a clue how

I agree with your last post PippaZ.
The shortage occupation list needs to be updated constantly.
Seems there should be vacancies to be filled at the home office to speed things up.

It seems cases can go on for years. They can apply for leave to work after a year if their case is still ongoing. However, they have to be able to show they can fit a job on the "Shortage Occupation List".

This list is highly restrictive and includes such professions as classical ballet dancer, nuclear medicine practitioner. and ‘geoenvironmental specialist’.

The very least they could do is find out if there are any vets, buchers, HVG drivers and doctors!

Th problem is the Home Office in unbelievably slow and inefficient. Why does it take 6 years to process an asylum claim? A neighbour of mine took in an asylum seeker a few years ago, he offered to do some gardening for us - however, we would've broken the law by allowing him to do a couple of hours gardening for £25. His case is still not resolved despite the fact that to go back to his country of origin would be very dangerous for him - some close family members have been killed and imprisoned.

Tories is your answer. They don't want refugees; they're entirely lacking in common sense, compassion, any desire for inclusion. They appear still to be unaware that it was immigrants - whom refugees hope to become - who kept this country's NHS and food, medicine, fuel lines functioning. Also, they don't understand the concept of trying to live on £5.39 per day - why, my dear, the Father of the House of Commons, Worthing West Tory MP Sir Peter Bottomley just explained to all us silly-billies how “desperately difficult” it is for MP's to live on £80,000 per year. He added: “I don’t know how they manage. It’s really grim.”

What a crazy situation!
So, in the mean time, they slip further into limbo, poverty, depression( no doubt), lose the chance to integrate through work and to be seen by us as valued members of our society.