“Part 11B of the immigration rules permits asylum seekers to apply for permission to work if they have not received an initial decision on their claim within 12 months but this will only be considered if that delay was through no fault of the applicant,” says the EMSONI founder.
“If such an application is successful, the asylum seeker will only be permitted to work in areas under the Shortage Occupation List published by the Home Office and obviously sport is not included in this list. By implication, this restricts them on where they can work.
“Volunteering for asylum seekers is technically encouraged for a charity, civic or public sector organisation but volunteering for commercial companies, like elite sport clubs, could be considered as work and the necessary paperwork must be in place,” adds Adekanmi.
“For an asylum seeker to participate in an elite sport, either as a player or coach, they need a certificate of sponsorship from an elite sport club with a job offer that will enable them to apply for leave to remain in the UK.
“Without the leave to remain, the appropriate sport governing body would not be able to register such asylum seeker to play professionally.
“The only route for asylum seekers to participate in sport professionally is for the Home Office to introduce a framework that allows asylum seekers to participate in elite sport as volunteers and include sport into the Shortage Occupation List because there is a short supply of developed sportspersons within the UK and loads of talent wasting away in the asylum system.”
