The UK government has proposed a voluntary scheme that will offer failed asylum seekers up to £3,000 to move to Rwanda. The idea is a variation of an existing voluntary returns scheme and will be available to anyone who had been rejected from the UK. The scheme primarily targets individuals who cannot return to their home countries. Currently, the UK government is working to implement an existing scheme that aims to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda that had been previously blocked by court orders due to concerns over safety.
The UK government has been promoting its Safety of Rwanda Bill, which would recognise Rwanda as a safe destination for failed asylum seekers and allow for their deportation to the country. However, unlike the current Rwanda scheme, the proposed scheme is voluntary and not dependent on the said bill being passed. Any failed asylum seeker who chooses to be relocated to Rwanda will be permitted to work legally in the country, which is unlike the setup in the UK. Upon arrival in Rwanda, they will also receive additional support to aid their relocation.
The date of the scheme’s initiation is not known, and it is unclear how many people would choose to take part in it. Rwanda had been previously identified as having “very limited capacity” to accept immigrants, according to Stephen Kinnock, Labour’s shadow immigration minister. He said the government must make clear how many people they expect to send on this basis and what the entire cost would amount to.
The proposal has been criticised by Kinnock, saying that its implementation would amount to “the government resorting to paying people to go to Rwanda instead” and that the numerous “confused briefings” around the issue would make the public sceptical of the situation. A Home Office spokesman stated that relocating migrants is an indispensable part of the government’s efforts to combat illegal migration, and voluntary relocations would provide a means for relocating failed asylum seekers to Rwanda, where they could rebuild their lives and not remain in the UK.
In summary, the UK government has devised a voluntary relocation program for failed asylum seekers to move to Rwanda with a cash incentive. The plan is targeted at individuals who have no right to remain in the UK and cannot return to their home countries. The UK government is attempting to implement an existing Rwanda scheme that requires the Safety of Rwanda Bill for legal backing. However, unlike the current scheme, the voluntary relocation program would not require parliamentary approval to be implemented. Any failed asylum seeker who chooses to be moved to Rwanda would be allowed to legally work in the country and would receive additional assistance during relocation
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