Third Sector Leeds (TSL) were recently approached by Leeds Migration Partnership who requested that we support the current ‘right to work’ campaign for refugees and asylum seekers.

People seeking asylum in the UK are effectively prohibited from working. They can only apply to the Home Office for permission to work if they have been waiting for a decision on their asylum claim for over 12 months and only for jobs that are on the Government’s restricted Shortage Occupation List. The Lift the Ban coalition is calling for the right to work for people seeking asylum, and their adult dependants, unconstrained by the shortage occupation list after six months of having lodged an asylum claim or further submission.

TSL has joined the Lift the Ban coalition and supports the campaign, both as a way of highlighting the thousands of people being prevented from working, many of whom have the skills that employers in Leeds need right now, and as a way of sustaining Leeds as a place of sanctuary.

We would encourage our members to read the current campaign strategy and join the Lift the Ban coalition to increase its profile and support within the third sector in Leeds.

You can read the campaign information and download the activism pack here, which includes details of various actions members can take to support the campaign. You can also join the coalition by emailing lifttheban@asylummatters.org