The life of Nigerian immigrants and others in the United Kingdom often narrates the story of ambition, resilience, and survival.
Part of these stories are the numerous under-table jobs immigrants do for the first few years of their stay in the country.
These jobs are off-the-books roles, ranging from cleaning to caregiving. For many Nigerians seeking better opportunities abroad, these jobs are often a lifeline, offering immediate income despite the risks.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass in this report dives into the reality of under-table jobs;
The Reality of Under-Table Jobs
For many Nigerians arriving in the UK, the promise of a better life comes with immediate hurdles. Many Nigerians immediately have to face high living costs, stringent visa regulations, and limited access to well-paying jobs.
Under-table jobs fill this gap, offering quick cash without the stress of formal employment. These jobs are often found through community networks like WhatsApp groups, church gatherings, or word-of-mouth referrals at African shops.
Common Under-Table Jobs
1. Cleaning and Domestic Work: Many Nigerians work as cleaners in offices, hotels, or private homes, often during early morning or late-night hours. These jobs pay cash, typically £8-£12 per hour in some places, and require little formal documentation.
2. Caregiving and Support Work: The UK’s care sector is a magnet for undertable work. Nigerians, especially women, take on roles as live-in carers or home support workers for the elderly, earning quick cash while navigating visa restrictions. With the recent decison by UK government to stop the issuance of visa to foreign care workers, there are projections that more immigrants that are already in the country would be integrated into the formal caregiving economy in the UK to plug the employment gap in the sector.
3. Construction and Manual Labor: Men often find themselves in construction, working as laborers or handymen. These physically demanding roles offer immediate pay.
4. Food Delivery and Gig Economy: While platforms like Uber Eats or Deliveroo are formal, some Nigerians take on “borrowed” accounts, delivering food under someone else’s name to bypass work permit issues.
5. Hairdressing and Barbering: In Nigerian communities, pop-up salons thrive. Barbers and hairdressers offer services at home or in informal settings, catering to diaspora clients who value cultural expertise.
Why Undertable Jobs?
1. Economic Necessity: The UK’s high cost of living pushes many immigrants into immediate income sources.
2. Visa and Work Restrictions: Strict UK immigration policies often limit the access of Nigerian immigrants and others to formal employment, especially for students or those on temporary visas. These jobs bypass these barriers, offering work without a National Insurance number.
3. Delays in Qualification Recognition: Many Nigerians with professional qualifications—doctors, engineers, teachers—face delays in getting their credentials recognized in the UK. Under-table jobs provide a stopgap while they navigate formal employment.
4. Community and Cultural Ties: The Nigerian diaspora thrives on trust and networks. Under-table jobs often come through community connections, making them accessible and discreet.
5. Remittance Obligations: Many Nigerians support families back home. The pressure to send money regularly drives them to take any available work, formal or not.
These factors create a perfect storm, where undertable work becomes not just a choice but a necessity for survival and progress.
The Risks and Trade-Offs
Under-table jobs come with significant risks. Workers face exploitation, with no legal protections, paid sick leave, or pension contributions. Also, immigrants who do these jobs are under threat of immigration enforcement. A single tip-off could lead to deportation.
Also, scammers and traffickers sometimes exploit this vulnerability, luring Nigerians with false promises of high-paying jobs only to trap them in menial labor.
