You have permission to work and haven't been paid?
Contact Migrant Help.
I'm an asylum seeker with permission to work and my employer hasn't paid me. I need advice.
I'm an asylum seeker with permission to work and my employer hasn't paid me. I need advice.
- ARC card (asylum registration card)
- Letter from Home Office confirming permission to work
- Payslips or any correspondence with employer
- Employer name and address
- Your own record of hours worked
- You are entitled to be paid even if the work was outside your permission
- Migrant Help will not share your data with Home Office without your consent
- The call is free
Если босс угрожает вам, держит ваш паспорт, не выпускает вас или ограничивает свободу — это экстренная ситуация.
Modern Slavery Helpline08000 121 700
More details — expand if needed
If you worked within your permitted work
Asylum seekers with permission to work can work in jobs at RQF 6 level and above (previously only on the Immigration Salary List). If you worked within those rules, you have a standard route.
ACAS Early Conciliation → Employment Tribunal if needed. Minimum wage: £12.71/hour (21+). Time limit: 3 months minus 1 day.
You can call Migrant Help or ACAS on 0300 123 1100.
⚠️ If you worked outside your permitted work
If you worked on a construction site (CIS/UTR), in a restaurant, hotel, delivery or any other job not on the permitted list, this may be a breach of your permission conditions.
You are still entitled to be paid (Okedina v Chikale [2019] principle). But going to Tribunal on your own is risky. Contact Migrant Help first.
HMRC anonymous tip-off is one safe option that does not require you to disclose your immigration status publicly.
Self-employment is prohibited on asylum permission
Working as self-employed (UTR, CIS contractor, freelancer) is prohibited on asylum permission to work. This is a breach. If you worked this way, speak to Migrant Help before taking any other action.
12-month waiting period for permission to work
The right to work only arises after 12 months of waiting for an initial asylum decision. Before that you cannot work. If you have only just applied, you are still in the waiting period.
If you have an ARC card marked "permitted to work", that is your permission.
If there are signs of exploitation
If your employer withheld documents, threatened you, restricted your freedom or created debt bondage, these are indicators of forced labour. Contact ATLEU 020 7700 7311 (free, legal aid, they do not share with Home Office).
Other organisations that can help
- Migrant Help — 0808 8010 503 · migranthelpuk.org
- ATLEU (exploitation) — 020 7700 7311 · atleu.org.uk
- Lawyers — our directory →
Sources
- gov.uk — Permission to Work guidance (March 2026)
- Appendix Skilled Occupations — RQF 6+ list
- Okedina v Chikale [2019] EWCA Civ 1393