Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to allow individuals who have not received a decision on their asylum claim after six months the right to work.

Asylum seekers can work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months, through no fault of their own. Those allowed to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, which is published by the Home Office and based on expert advice from the Migration Advisory Committee.

During the Meaningful Vote debate on 5 December, the Home Secretary stated that although there are no current plans to change the current policy, it is an area he wished to review, and work on this is ongoing.

In making any policy changes, it is important to distinguish between those who need protection and economic migrants, who can apply for a work visa under the Immigration Rules. Our wider policy could be undermined if migrants could bypass work visa routes by lodging unfounded asylum claims.