Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Introduction

Asylum seekers are looking for a safe place. They flee their home country and seek refugee status in another country, some will end up in the UK. This is often due to war in their home country or human rights abuses. Asylum seekers make a claim for refugee status. If their application is granted, they will be awarded one of the following:

• Exceptional leave to remain (ELR)
  
  
• Indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
  
  
• Humanitarian Protection
  
  
• Discretionary Leave

Asylum seekers can only do non employed status work based learning. This type of placement is normally accessed through a training provider and the young person will not be paid EMA.

Refugees have the same rights to work or train as any other UK citizen of the same age.

There are more than 1000 children and young people who are refugees/asylum seekers in Nottingham city alone. Some young people come to the UK with one or both parents, while some arrive with friends or relatives who are not their usual carers, and many 16-19 year olds arrive on their own.

Most new arrivals in the UK go into full time education to enable them to improve their English and employability skills where necessary. Work placements are invaluable in giving these particularly vulnerable young people the confidence and skills to enter employment.

Many employers find that there are benefits in employing refugees due to their commitment, strong work ethic and productivity.

If you are interested in offering an e2e work placement please contact the Learning and Skills Council on 0845 019 4187 or email: nottsinfo@lsc.gov.uk

Additional information

Obtaining a National Insurance number

Refugees often experience difficulties in obtaining National Insurance numbers. Contact the National Insurance registration helpline at HM Revenue and Customs: 0845 915 7006 or 0845 302 1479.

Types of Identification

• Application Registration Card (ARC)Standard
  
  
• Acknowledgement Letter (SAL)