Sheffield campaign calls for the right of asylum seekers to work – “it’s about the dignity of people”

The official Sheffield launch event for the Lift the Ban Coalition campaign took place at Sheffield Town Hall. The campaign, which calls for asylum seekers to be able to work after they have been in the UK for six months, has been backed by Sheffield City Council.

Melinda Mo-Martinez of Sheffield City of Sanctuary, who hosted the event, said that people get £9 a week to provide for their families.

“There are fathers who cannot provide for their children. The hotels provide food but not enough,” she said.

“The campaign isn’t only about money, it’s about the dignity of people providing for their family and to share their skills.

“We have doctors, engineers, professional people who want to work. They’re sitting there doing nothing. That is the terrible effect of our laws.”

Struggling

She added: “These are our brothers and sisters. If they are struggling, we all suffer.

“They can contribute to the city and pay taxes. The country could benefit by £42bn if they started working and contributing to their society.”

She said that it was important for asylum seekers’ voices to be heard by other Sheffielders.

Melinda told the audience that the right of asylum seekers to work existed until it was taken away by a Labour government, causing “21 years of poverty and isolation”.

Issam Garhiba told his story. He said he was born in the UK but his family went back to Libya and he returned during the pandemic. He was told he would have to apply for asylum.

Issam got moved to Sheffield and became involved in “the rich tapestry of this community”. He stayed in hotel asylum seeker accommodation and said: “It isn’t what you’d expect, it’s miserable.

Devastating

“Every night you can wake up to see people wandering the halls. I saw first-hand the devastating impact on people’s mental health because of this hostile environment.”

He said: “I have a two-year gap in my CV. It doesn’t look right. I could have been working, I could have been learning.”

Once he got his documentation, Issam, who previously worked in hospital accident and emergency, switched to a mental health role with Sheffield Health and Social Care, where he is rebuilding his career.

May Oshualale spoke about being caught up in the asylum system following her arrival in July 2002, finally gaining leave to remain last year. She said it was granted in October 2022 but she did not discover that until April and she finally got her papers in June.

“In these 21 years, I could have been working and contributing to the community for the society. All I ever wanted was to work in social care – it was my dream.”

She said she had qualifications she was unable to use and now her health has deteriorated she cannot fulfill her dream.

Alone

When she was in London she was attacked by someone but was too scared to report it because of her lack of status. She said: “I felt very alone in that moment.”

May described how her situation made her feel: “I felt like I was in a cage, I felt invisible.”

She added: “Is freedom too much to ask for? As human beings, we can be a little bit more compassionate.”

A statement from Sheffield Chamber of Commerce was read out by Maria Vasquez Aguilar, who came to Sheffield from Chile as a refugee in the 1970s.

It said: “Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry is supporting the Sheffield Lift the Ban Coalition.

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“From a business perspective there are continuous recruitment shortages in the city and so the benefit of more people available to work and the expertise and skills many refugees bring, their increased sense of belonging and wellbeing and community cohesion that work brings, as well as increasing overall productivity and spend in the region all adds to their positive impact.”

Jim Rose, founder of Nam Song Vietnamese restaurant and coffee bar in Broomhill, said a businessman called John helped him set up his business. John came to Sheffield as one of the ‘Vietnamese boat people’ who fled their country in the 1980s following the Vietnam War.

Positive

John’s family had been helped on arrival by Jim’s grandparents and their church congregation. Jim said: “John’s story is a real-life example of how opening up to others has a positive impact on your society, helping people for generations to come.”

Politicians who spoke at the event included Green Party councillor Henry Nottage, council migrant champion Labour Coun Nabeela Mowlana and Lord Mayor Coun Colin Ross.

Coun Nottage said that the current system is “abject cruelty and it’s dehumanising” and it costs the UK £100 million a year, “paying out pitiful amounts” of support money to asylum seekers.

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He added: “We’ve had this unjust system for 21 years and there’s nothing to show it does anything positive for the country at all.”

Coun Mowlana said: “Every day we see and hear the effects of the hostile environment on this country. Many of us live through it.

“I am very proud that the city I sought sanctuary in so many years ago is also a sanctuary for so many others. I am also proud that the council supported this Lift the Ban Coalition.

Equal

“Every asylum seeker in this city is a Sheffielder like you and me. They need a right to work and they need to provide for their families. They have the right to be equal citizens.”

The Lord Mayor, a LibDem, said that his role is apolitical but it is impossible not to speak out on some issues.

He said: “One of the things I really enjoy doing is presiding over citizenship ceremonies. It is the last stage when people come to this country and have been through many things, granting UK citizenship for this country.”

He added: “Clearly these people have a lot they can and do contribute to this city in many different ways.”

Coun Ross said the “self-inflicted wound” of Brexit meant many people from EU countries had left, causing shortages of workers, particularly in care and hospitality.

The One World Choir, involving Sheffield refugees, sang songs including The Right to Work, written for the coalition. People with experience of seeking asylum were joined by other Sheffielders to cut a ribbon to mark the launch.

*Currently, asylum seekers can work if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months through no fault of their own – but they can only take up jobs on the Shortage Occupation List.

The Government has previously said that allowing asylum seekers to work would enable them to “bypass work visa rules”, and has said that the purpose of the policy is to create a “clear distinction between economic migration and asylum”.