Tens of thousands of migrants with failed asylum applications will ‘be offered thousands of pounds to move to Rwanda’

Many migrants with failed asylum applications will be offered money to voluntarily move to Rwanda.

A new agreement made between the UK and Rwandan government means that migrants could choose to be sent to Rwanda when they have no legal right to remain in the UK but cannot return to their home country. 

Tens of thousands of people in the UK have had their asylum application rejected and the arrangement would be open to them meaning thousands of migrants could be removed. 

It will use the existing voluntary returns system and schemes that offer up to £3,000 in assistance for failed asylum seekers to return to their country of origin, The Times reported.

The new deal will also make use of the agreement made with Rwanda that has been set back by legal issues. 

First announced in 2022, the Rwanda scheme was originally declared as unlawful by the UK Supreme Court. 

The government has since developed a Safety of Rwanda Bill that aims to declare Rwanda as a safe country and is part of Rishi Sunak’s pledge to ‘stop the boats’.

Last month, Michael Tomlinson defended the Conservative party‘s policy and said flights of asylum seekers will be sent to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, ‘as soon as possible’.

However, the new agreement is different from the deportation to Rwanda scheme and is the first of its kind kind with migrants being paid to go to a country that is not their place of origin.

A source told the Times how the UK has never done voluntary relocations to a ‘safe third country before’. 

The government believes this new scheme is legal due to the voluntary nature of the moves.

Housing and support, including help in accessing training and work, will be offered by Rwanda to those who voluntarily go.

Although migrants with failed asylum seeker applications who do not accept the offer will not be able to claim benefits, work or be offered accommodation. 

Immigration officials will be prepared to encourage those who’s application is rejected to move to Rwanda.

No date has been set for the voluntary moves to begin.

It comes after the Home Office rejected 30,967 asylum applications last year and there were 19,253 voluntary returns.

This is a decrease since the Conservatives have been in power from from 31,762 in 2010.

Enforced returns fell from 13,928 in 2010 to 6,393 last year. 

The cost of the Rwanda scheme doubled to almost £300million, despite never being used, the Home Office revealed in December last year.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘In the last year, 19,000 people were removed voluntarily from the UK and this is an important part of our efforts to tackle illegal migration.

‘We are exploring voluntary relocations for those who have no right to be here to Rwanda, who stand ready to accept people who wish to rebuild their lives and cannot stay in the UK.

‘This is in addition to our Safety of Rwanda Bill and Treaty which, when passed, will ensure people who come to the UK illegally are removed to Rwanda.’