Children who were refused asylum after being brought to the UK when the Calais refugee camp was closed are to be granted leave to remain in the country.
A total of 549 children were transferred to the UK to be reunited with family members when the camp was cleared in October 2016, but a small number did not qualify for refugee status under immigration rules. These children would have either been removed from the UK or given unaccompanied asylum child leave.
The government has however decided to offer this group “Calais leave”, which will grant those who qualify the right to study, work, and have access to public funds and healthcare, with the option to apply for settlement after 10 years. The permission will only be available to those brought over as part of the clearance between October 2016 and July 2017, who were under the age of 18 at the time, and who have recognised family ties in the UK.
Refugee support groups have welcomed the change but reiterated criticism of family reunion rules, which currently restrict refugees in Britain from applying for certain relatives to join them. Child refugees cannot apply for parents to join them in the UK, while adults can only apply for their spouses and children aged 18 or under.
