Asylum seekers are usually not entitled to work in the United Kingdom. You may be able to gain the right to work if the UK Government has taken more than 12 months to decide your asylum claim. You must show that the delay is the UK Government’s fault. The right to work would only be for jobs which are included on the UK Government’s ‘Shortage Occupation List’. For these reasons, most asylum seekers will not be able to work unless there are recognised as refugees.

If you work in the United Kingdom as an asylum seeker without the UK Government giving you the right to work, you will be breaking the law.

Whilst you are waiting for a decision on your asylum application, you can get help to learn the English or Welsh language. See the Education for All Ages page for more information.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you should still have the right to volunteer with a charity, a Council or other government department. You can find out more about volunteering at the Volunteering Wales website.

If you have had your asylum application refused, you will not be entitled to work in the United Kingdom. 

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you should still have the right to volunteer with a charity, a Council or other government department. You can find out more about volunteering at the Volunteering Wales website.

Once you have been refused asylum, you will not be able to work legally or receive welfare benefits. See the Money section for more information about support for refused asylum seekers.

Wales has a strong tradition of people helping one another, much of which is at a local level.

If you’d like to help, there are over 40,000 voluntary organisations here involved in a wide range of activities.

Groups are often small, set up and run by people wanting to do something together for their community. These activities – sporting, cultural, environmental, and social – are part of day-to-day life.

What is volunteering?

Volunteering is an activity which:

is undertaken by choice

is undertaken to be of public/ community benefit

is not undertaken for financial gain

How can I find a volunteering opportunity?

Volunteering Wales allows people to search for volunteering opportunities in their local area. You might need to register some details.

Otherwise, you could contact your local volunteer centre. They provide information, advice, and guidance on all aspects of volunteering.

Centre staff aim to link the skills and time of people with organisations.

For more information you can contact or visit your local volunteer centre.

Do I have to register on Volunteering Wales to volunteer?

No, but if you register you will see more opportunities.

First, register on the website and then apply for an opportunity of interest. Note, it is not enough to register on the platform without also signing up for a specific opportunity.

Will there be any checks?

Some volunteer roles may need a simple background check. Other roles may need an enhanced check, called an Enhanced DBS check. The opportunity should provide more details.

Where can I find more information?

More information is available on WCVA’s website: I want to volunteer

Once you have been recognised as a refugee, you should have the right to work in the United Kingdom. 

You may need to prove to an employer that you have the right to work in the United Kingdom. You can find more information about how to prove your right to work at the UK Government website.

National Insurance

If you have a job in the United Kingdom, you must pay National Insurance Contributions. To do this you must have a National Insurance Number. If you have the right to work but do not have this number, you can apply for a number at the ‘Job Centre Plus’. Once you receive your number, you must give it to your employer. National Insurance Contributions help to build your access to a state pension and maternity or paternity pay. It also  funds services like the National Health Service (NHS).

If you cannot find a job, you may need to apply for social security support (also known as welfare benefits). Visit the Money section of this website for more information.

If you have been resettled as a refugee, you should have the right to work in the United Kingdom. 

You may need to prove to an employer that you have the right to work in the United Kingdom. You can find more information about how to prove your right to work at the UK Government website.

Looking for work

There are several ways to look for work. Job opportunities can be found through local newspapers, websites, job agencies or by visiting ‘Job Centre Plus’. Job Centres are found in most towns in Wales. If you need help with finding a job you could try visiting your local centre.

You can find out more about different job sectors and support available to find different types of jobs on the 'Job Sector Information' area of this website or on the Careers Wales Job Information page.

Jobs Website

Refugee Employment Network (REN) jobs website has employability opportunities with employers in Wales and England who understand the barriers to work that refugees face

Careers Wales

• Careers Wales has a free service called Working Wales. Working Wales provides a single point of contact for personalised advice and training. This will help service-users to find and maintain good, long-term employment. Support includes:
  • an assessment of barriers to employment;
  • coaching and signposting;
  • job searches;
  • writing you CV (resumé);
  • interview preparation; and
  • finding work placements.

Support Finder gives you more information about finding work or gaining skills

If you want to find out about job vacancies, you can add your email address to the Job Bulletin

Working Wales

You can ring Working Wales on +44 (0)800 028 4844 Monday to Thursday: 8am to 6pm | Friday: 9am to 4:30pm

Find Careers Centres across Wales listed by local authority, including opening times, addresses and a link to google maps.

Find Working Wales on their venues map. They offer face to face careers advice and guidance interviews at a variety of venues across Wales, including Careers centres, Job Centre Plus offices and other venues in the community.

Email: workingwales@careerswales.gov.wales

Applying for a job

Once you have identified a job you want to apply for, applications in the UK are usually made through an application form, or a CV (‘curriculum vitae’ - a formal list of your qualifications and experience) and a covering letter. Guidance on how to create a CV can be found on Careers Wales. 

Once you have the job

Employers may also ask to see your documentation. It will help if you can bring your original documents such as your BRP or be prepared to show your digital status to show evidence of your right to work in the UK.

College diplomas and any other proof of your qualifications and experience will be helpful to show to employers.

Employers may also ask for references from people who can verify your suitability for employment (such as a former manager, teacher or colleague).

You may need to prove to an employer that you have the right to work in the United Kingdom. You can find more information about how to prove your right to work at the UK Government website.

If you have a job in the United Kingdom, you must pay National Insurance Contributions. To do this you must have a National Insurance Number.

If you do not have a National Insurance number you can apply at the UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number. You need to be in the UK to apply. You may be required to attend a face-to-face appointment.

However, you can look for and start work without a National Insurance number for a short time if you can prove you can work in the UK.

Getting existing qualifications recognised by UK employers

You may have qualifications or experience in a particular job from your home country. You might have to get your existing qualifications recognised by UK employers first.

If you want to do the same job in Wales, go to: UK ENIC can help with this. Please note you may need to pay.

Employers

Employers must treat their workers equally. This means that refugees should receive the same pay as a Welsh person if they are doing the same job. This also means that men and women should receive the same pay for the same job. If you think you are being treated unfairly, you can find advice through the ‘Equality and Human Rights Commission’.

Employers must pay the ‘National Minimum Wage’ to most of their workers.  This is the minimum pay you should receive for your work. The minimum wage you would receive is based on your age and type of job. National Minimum Wage rates are explained on the UK Government website. 

In most cases you will have the following rights when working for an employer in the United Kingdom:

• You must be paid at least the ‘National Minimum Wage’
• Your employer must not make illegal deductions from your pay
• You must receive payslip which explains your wage and any deductions
• You should receive a list of the main terms and conditions of your job 
• You have the right to a certain amount of paid time off work each year.
• You have the right to take paid time off for antenatal care, maternity, paternity and adoption leave  
• You must be granted daily and weekly rest breaks, and you usually cannot be forced to work more than 48 hours a week
• You should not be dismissed or treated unfairly at work if you become a ‘whistleblower’.   This is someone who exposes suspected wrongdoing in their workplace.
• If you have been working for an employer for at least a month, they must give you notice if you are to be dismissed 
• If you are dismissed while pregnant or on maternity leave then you must receive a written explanation of the reason from your employer
• If you are a part-time worker, you should have the same contractual rights as a full-time worker (in a similar role). You may not receive the same entitlements.
• If you are a fixed-term employee, you should have the same contractual rights as a permanent employee in a similar role
• You have the right to submit a request for flexible working (After six months)

More information on rights you can expect to receive at work can be found on the Citizens Advice website. 

Wales Asylum Seeking and Refugee Doctors and Dentists (WARD) Group helps doctors and dentists who are refugees or asylum seekers. They can help doctors and dentists to restart careers in the UK National Health Service.  

They provide support including:

- Weekly lessons for IELTS (The International English Language Testing System) and OET(Occupational English Test)

- PLAB (The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test) resources, course, and support group

- Exam payments for IELTS/OET, PLAB 1 and PLAB 2

- Help with GMC(General medical Council) registration

- 6 month paid supernumerary placement once GMC registered

Support with IELTS/OET is also available to asylum seekers and refugees from other healthcare professions.

WARD can help Dentists with both IELTS/OET lessons, and the language exam fees. For all other healthcare professionals, they can help with IELTS/OET classes and direct to other support. At some point they will be able to extend further support to other professions.

There is a waiting list for non-doctors/dentists now, as there is high demand.

To get in touch, to join or to find out more, please contact sam@dpia.org.uk  or HEIW.professionalsupport@wales.nhs.uk