The vast majority of asylum-seekers in Galway would seek work immediately if permitted, and 68 per cent would work voluntarily, according to research published today.
The report by the Galway Refugee Support Group also finds that 51 per cent of asylum-seekers there believe they could find work without further education or training if they were allowed to do so.
The Galway group is calling on the Government to end the current system of "marginalisation" which precludes employment while claims for refugee status are being made. It believes asylum-seekers should be given the right to work after six months in the asylum procedure, given that some applications for refugee status can take more than two years.
The study involves an audit of the education, skills, training and work experience of asylum-seekers in Galway city, currently estimated at over 1,200. A questionnaire was completed by 106 asylum-seekers from 30 countries, and 89 per cent of those surveyed were in the 20-to-40 age group, while 42 per cent were married and 47 per cent were single.
A small percentage were lone parents, and the report notes that the majority of asylum-seekers who had children did not have them with them in Ireland. It says asylum-seekers provided for under the current system of direct provision can no longer maintain regular contact with their families outside Ireland.
Direct provision involves full-board housing in a hostel or guesthouse, and payment of a welfare allowance of €19.05 a week for adults and €9.52 for children. An asylum-seeker can move from this accommodation only in exceptional circumstances.
The main findings include:
• Half of the respondents had completed third-level education;
• 37 per cent had completed an apprenticeship or other course;
• 48 per cent spent over 12 years in formal education;
• The majority said they spoke a second language, with a significant number speaking a third language;
• 82 per cent said they would immediately seek work if granted the right to do so;
Many were worried that their skills would become outdated due to the fact that they are not allowed to work until their claim for asylum is determined;
Participants expressed gratitude to the Government and Irish people for providing them with a refuge from persecution, and were keen to contribute to Irish society.
While 42 per cent of respondents were Nigerian, 33 per cent were from other African states, with 16 per cent from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The remainder were from the Middle East and Central America.