Introduction: Seeking asylum creates circumstances that impact significantly on occupational opportunities, leading to negative outcomes for individuals, families and the host community. Understanding the specific meaning of occupation during this major life transition provides valuable insights regarding occupation cross-culturally, during transition or under socio-legal restrictions. Method: This study employed a phenomenological approach, using a series of in-depth interviews to illuminate the role of occupation in the everyday lives of 10 participants. Findings: All participants spoke of the challenges of the asylum process, and the powerful drive to keep busy. They each identified the special role of occupations done for the benefit of others -family, network or community -linking these with cultural ideals and their own desired outcomes of value and purpose. Conclusion: Occupation has enormous potential for enhancing post-migratory experiences, but the choice of occupation is also important. People strive to move beyond simply 'keeping busy' to find occupations of real meaning that foster connections and purpose, and in particular feed their need to feel valued. Occupations undertaken for the benefit of others connect with culturally appropriate collectivist ideals, and seem to do more to promote 'doing, being, belonging' and 'becoming'.

Refugees are increasingly acknowledged as facing significant occupational injustice and they experience multiple barriers to finding meaningful occupational opportunities. Occupation has enormous potential for enhancing the post migratory experience, but choice of occupation is important. People strive to move beyond simply 'keeping busy' to find occupations of real meaning which meet personal and cultural needs. Altruism is the principle or practice of doing for others, and can be expressed through, or be a motivation for, a range of occupations. This paper asserts that 'doing of others' can be particularly meaningful, and may provide opportunities for personal, social and cultural rewards. The findings presented here arose as part of a study exploring the occupational experiences of people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. This phenomenological study gathered data from ten participants through a series of in depth interviews. The study found that participants held a preference for altruistic occupations. Participants engaged with a number of altruistic occupations, prompted by kinship, empathy, learned behaviour and moral principles. The occupations appeared to promote connectivity, positive sense of self and a connection between past and present occupations, called here 'occupational constancy'. In seeking occupations rich with meaning and purpose, the drive to 'do for others' could provide individuals with opportunities to live well in the here and now, and rise above the hardship and marginalisation of asylum and forced migration.

Refugees and people seeking asylum face a life in the United Kingdom that fosters occupational deprivation. Their needs may be significant, but occupational therapists often believe themselves unable to help refugees because they feel unready and ill prepared. A more positive approach can assist occupational therapists to acknowledge their anxieties in this regard and, by taking a proactive and informed stance, use their existing transferable skills to meet the needs of refugees in much the same way that they meet the needs of other clients.