Migrants - just curious......

[sunshinewithrain]

Are they genuinely so desperate that they will get in a rubber dingy to cross a dangerous sea to get to England?
OR
Are they 'sold' a dream?
OR
A mixture of both! And we don'it understand it properly .......
It's so sad all these people dying trying to cross the sea in such a dangerous way ......

And there are countless stories from survivors about how people get on the dinghy and then they pack more and more people on. They don't know it's going to be hugely overcrowded until it's too late, basically.

Anything that we do but Germany does differently should be taken into account as they have the same issues.

Germany and U.K. are most attractive

Links are not the same as being part of the British Empire.
Don't be daft.
Even the Soviets couldn't conquer Afghanistan, and its a source of National Pride for Afghanis.
Eritrea was classed as a British Protectorate for 9 years in the aftermath of ww2, which is not the same as being colonised. Before that, they were an Italian colony and Ethiopian colony.

Don’t you think that some of the people whose asylum claim gets denied might still choose the boat route?
As far as I know, it’s not just the UK government. The EU has the same rules in place, you have to actually enter one of the EU countries to claim asylum.

Looking at this from France I’d say there might be some truth in that.

The French labour market overall is generally much more regulated than the UK (e.g. you often need some form of diploma or certificate from Lycée Pro to even perform what Brits would think of as quite low level work), and employers have to make significant social security contributions for everybody on their books..

Officials/police often do knock on doors and to carry out spot checks on establishments to make sure all is in order, both in terms of permission to work so employees visa/work status, right bits of paper etc and checks that the employer’s books are order.

France does take refugees/asylum seekers and many do get jobs, but won’t have jumped into a job the day after they’ve crossed the Pyrenees.

Chances are they will usually have been assisted by the relevant charities and jumped through all the required hoops.

I don't think it's this as Germany has more controls than the UK and has the same problems

France meets the criteria of a safe country. Why do you think it doesn't meet that?

France has nearly double the number of asylum applications as the UK. It's not as if every asylum seekers is rushing across France to get to the English channel.

I would imagine its very attractive here. They are not refused entry and as you say once they are in can access money, accommodation, medical care etc. But surely after the initial priority treatment they face the same challenges as everyone else living here: cost of living, mouldy flats, shit jobs, lengthy waits for a doctor. I should imagine the genuine asylum seekers would stay because it would always be better than what they left behind. The 'chancers' might pack-up and leave for somewhere with lower COL.

The fact Afghanistan wasn't part of the Empire wasn't for want of trying!!

Given the proximity to Pakistan the scope for British influence is obvious. As in many other parts of the world we never formally ruled.

Given the state of it now and our part in that including employing people to support our forces there the case for giving Afghans asylum is overwhelming.

They are coming from France. So why "desperate" to get to the UK?

Over 60% are granted asylum in the UK. It's higher than other EU countries so likely another draw

People who don't have it granted may not stay anyway

If they do get it then they can work, I think the French are overstating the work aspect

Shit stirring i think

Guess how civil war will break out. Londoners vs Mancunians? Like a football match?

This thread is hilarious and you get shouted down if you tell the truth.

If there will be any civil war in the UK, it will be caused by unrest over more and more illegal immigrants and student loopholes. Homeless seekers priority in social housing etc or fighting over religion. Crime rates rising. The act now or relinquish your country brigade may even start it off, and what I mean by start it is with enough provocation, and a tipping point.

They've got family or other kith/kin here?

They speak the language?

Google is your friend - first result is from the Refugee Council:

https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/information/refugee-asylum-facts/understanding-channel-crossings/

The Red Cross say similar stuff.

I think you do have to keep a bit of perspective on this. According to the BBC article there have been so far this year nearly 22,000 migrants arriving on small boats. This represents 0.03% of the population of this country.
Stories of schools, hospitals, GP practices and housing being overrun do not fit with the actual facts..
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53699511#:~:text=In%20the%20year%20to%20June%202024%2C%20the%20largest%20overall%20number,(including%20dependants)%20claiming%20asylum.

@Summernightsinthe21stcentury That. Exactly.

Compared with the number arriving to work, as students or any number of other 'legal routes' the boat people are a drop in the ocean.

Ukrainians are here under a different scheme.
Officially, they’re not asylum seekers or refugees, but received visas through the Ukraine Family Scheme which is a temporary status.

despite the fact many of them are so terrified of their home country they return home for holidays.
But that's a whole other thread !!

There actually was a whole other thread about it recently. Ukrainians aren’t “terrified of their home country”. They fear air strikes from Russia that can happen anywhere anytime.
That’s not stopping some people from visiting family members who stayed behind though, often elderly parents or male relatives who weren’t allowed to leave. They knowingly take the risk.

People arriving will be a draw for more to arrive, I'd say it's why you get waves from particular countries as social media spreads the message

@EasternStandard

”I think the French are overstating the work aspect”

Maybe..FWIW by virtue of a combination nationality and residence we’ve had family looking for work and actually working on both sides of the channel.

They’ll happily testify the French system appears to be much more formal and controlled than the UK side, and of course it’s appearance that matters if people are being sold a destination.

So maybe stop posting potential inflammatory stuff on the internet?

Re students. Why have I had several applications from current students from University of Greenwich, just arrived Indians wanting full time work? They went silent when I asked them how they can complete their degree as well - something is up with that.

I mean maybe they misunderstood how it all works and think they can do a full time job or that I would give them part/time or they just bombarded job posts without reading.

These we’re all lower end type courses they were on. Stuff I do not consider needs a degree. I won’t say what.

People are being sold asylum and at over 60% it's a pretty good sell. When that is granted the black market part isn't relevant

There's something that the UK and Germany have in common that is the biggest draw across the EU and the work documentation is different, including ID cards

But if they’re getting into an overcrowded, unseaworthy dingy in France they’re not escaping bombing and torture.
They might have their reasons, the conditions in France might be bad, but they’re not fleeing a war zone.