Open a safe route across the Channel for asylum seekers – Byline Times

In 2023, 29,437 asylum seekers arrived in the UK in small boats. As of 2 September this year, 21,403 had arrived via this route and 39 had died, falling victim to the perils of the Channel and the greed and ruthlessness of people smugglers. In the wake of the latest tragedy, which left 12 people dead, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin called for migrants from the EU to be able to claim asylum in the UK.

Keir Starmer ruled out safe routes for asylum seekers when he was in opposition, and it seems that this will not change now that there is a Labour government in power. Given that most Britons put immigration at the top of their list of concerns, this might seem understandable. But what if a safe route across the Channel became a weapon in the war on people smugglers, and their numbers were limited within the government’s overall plans for immigration?

This is how it could work.

New visas for asylum seekers crossing by small boat

The government would offer combined asylum/work visas, in addition to priority asylum visas. There could be 10,000 visas for the first year. Most visas would be work visas, because most asylum seekers seeking to cross the Channel are adults – male adults – of working age.

No increase in immigration to the UK

Opening this safe route would not increase immigration into the UK. Recipients of the new visas would in most cases have reached the UK anyway – via people smugglers and risky Channel crossings.

But despite this, critics would undoubtedly say that the new visas would increase overall immigration into the UK, which is already too high and which Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to reduce. This criticism could be answered. The government controls regular immigration through the issuing of visas. The government could impose a cap or target on migrants entering the UK on work, student and other existing visas, and still count the number of asylum seekers admitted on the new visas towards filling these caps or targets.

The government’s continued attempts to cast doubt on its critics only disappoint its supporters and embolden its opponents.

Adam Bienkov

Asylum seekers with work visas would contribute to the British economy

A distinction is often made between refugees and economic migrants. The distinction is valid enough, but it should not obscure the fact that individuals may be fleeing persecution as well as seeking economic improvement, and the latter motive does not invalidate the former. If British policy were to recognise the economic aspirations of asylum seekers and allow some to enter the UK as workers, And as refugees, rescuing those affected from the clutches of criminal gangs and helping to undermine the smugglers’ business model. The option of free visas and a safe route to the UK would prevent thousands of asylum seekers from paying extortionate prices for risky Channel crossings in overcrowded inflatable boats.

At the same time, working asylum seekers would contribute to the UK economy. They would also save taxpayers the cost of housing and support payments during periods they could otherwise have spent unemployed while waiting for decisions on their asylum claims.

What a combined asylum/work visa scheme would look like

Applications for combined visas would be made to a staffed centre in the UK in France, which would provide advice and assistance and a venue for interviews. Visas would be granted after a preliminary assessment and only to refugees from countries whose nationals normally had at least an 80% success rate in visa applications. Granted visas would amount to provisional recognition of refugee status and recipients would be able to take up work in the UK immediately while their applications for refugee status were assessed. Those whose applications were ultimately refused would have their visas revoked.

Some normal work visa requirements would be relaxed

The work visa element of the combined visa could be loosely modelled on the current work visa (“skilled worker”), with the main requirement being an offer of employment from an approved sponsor. However, some requirements would be relaxed. Asylum/work visas would allow for unskilled work, and there would be no minimum salary requirement. Relaxing the requirements would be justified because under current rules, asylum seekers granted refugee status would have the right to work, and recipients of asylum/work visas would provisionally be recognised as refugees.

The language requirement would be relaxed

A normal requirement for a work visa is that the applicant speaks and understands English at a level above basic, but not proficient. However, there are some jobs that do not require English proficiency at that level. Under the asylum/work visa, the language requirement can be relaxed if the sponsoring employer confirms that this would be practical for the job in question, or if the asylum seeker’s language was spoken in the workplace in question.

The UK government would promote the new asylum/work visa scheme to employers, who could apply to be placed on the existing register of sponsors as sponsors of asylum seekers. Employers with languages ​​spoken in the workplace that are likely to be spoken by visa applicants could be particularly encouraged by the government.

They could do this by offering a “welcome package” or an advance on wages. There are normally fees for work visas, but there would be no fees for asylum/work visas. Like conventional work visas, the combined visa would cover a spouse and children.

A priority asylum visa for those who do not qualify for an asylum/work visa

Those who do not qualify for an asylum/work visa with a good claim for priority – such as unaccompanied children – can apply for a priority asylum visa. Like those granted a work visa, recipients of priority asylum visas are provisionally recognised as refugees. Adult holders of these visas have the right to work when they reach the UK. They will be given a full briefing in France on the support they can expect in the UK in the form of benefits, local government support and charitable assistance. Unaccompanied children will be accompanied to the UK once their application is approved.

The new visas would support the government’s fight against criminal gangs

Safe routes are not in themselves a solution to the refugee crisis that is threatening the whole of Europe and the UK. But a safe route via these new visas could undermine the business plans of the people smugglers and prevent thousands of asylum seekers from risking their lives in the Channel. The visas would not increase immigration into the UK one iota.

There would be a lot of opposition, but it would be misplaced. And what good is a huge majority if you don’t use it for a good cause?

It’s time to think outside the box.