the mirage of british eldorado for migrants

The image that the United Kingdom has been sending back for decades is that of an Eldorado where migrants, even without papers, could work easily, and much more than in other European countries. To the point of encouraging the crossings of the English Channel, which are always more numerous. But the reality is much more nuanced. In the district of Soho (United Kingdom), in the center of London, the Syrian Imad Alarnab embodies the British dream where everything would be possible. He moved here six years ago after fleeing the war. He now runs his restaurant, Imad’s Kitchen, one of the most famous in the capital, as he did in Damascus (Syria).

With only 4% unemployment, finding a job is in theory easier in the UK than elsewhere. Especially since for undocumented migrants, undeclared work, which for a long time was little controlled in United Kingdom, fuels this image of easy, if precarious, access to employment. But those days are over, according to immigration lawyer Zeena Luchowa. Borders and rules have tightened, especially since Brexit. “The measures have been reinforced to create what is called a ‘hostile environment’. There are, for example, additional supporting documents to be provided on the work permit and stronger penalties for employers who hire illegal workers”, she explains. Without a visa or refugee status, the UK is, in fact, no El Dorado at all. For example, asylum seekers are prohibited from working for at least a year.