What are the laws regarding immigration into the UK?

Question

I understood that to claim asylum, you must be at risk, and enter the 1st safe country you reach.

Other than asylum, I thought immigration was open to those trasnferring jobs (ie, you apply for a job abroad and get it) or coming to study. Since we entered the EU, people arrive from any EU country. Numerous friends and colleagues of mine are Polish people, and there are many other Eastern Europeans throughout town. These latter people do not work. They spend their days either in the bookies, or on the library computers on chatrooms. Indeed, their visa's often stipulate: "employment prohibited." I am not making a racist point, I just want facts: is it legal for anyone, from any EU state, to arrive, and claim benefits? When I was on jobseeker's I had to seek work - has this changed?

There are many people here from Africa and Asia - many more than a few years ago. Again I am not being racist, but how come so many more, and what are the condititions for entry?

Answer 1

The conditions of entry depend on

1) what your nationality is

2) why you came there

Asylum seekers are usually running from something they fear back at home. They leave their belongings and nearly everything behind to get away from that. The fact that they are only allowed to apply for the first safe country they reach means that they are not allowed to "pick and choose" as according to what country offers the best benefits (quick citizenship, free health care and child care etc).

Nationality is important as it depends on what treaties are in place with the country in question. For example the UK is part of the EU (which allows the citizens to move freely around the member states), it is also part of the Commonwealth so certain an Australian or Canadian may be able to get a security clearance job in the UK when a French or Italian may not. Because of the UK is part of the Commonwealth people from the other countries that are part of the Commonwealth have an easier time getting in (or may have ancestors that came from the UK).

Africa and Asia can be difficult at times. Africa is seen usually as a 3rd world zone so may people are trying to get away from there. Same with some places in Asia. I know people who said that when they were younger the mentally was to get out of the country because you could never make your fortune there.