‘I Couldn't Figure Out What to Do': Salvadorean Asylum Seekers Facing the Uncertainties of the 2020 Italian Amnesty

ABSTRACT

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led the Italian government to enact a regularization programme, the first in eight years, which also allowed asylum seekers to switch from a humanitarian to an employment-based status. This study sheds light on how this re-categorization opportunity was concretely experienced by (potential) applicants by examining 21 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and Salvadorean asylum seekers. Drawing on emerging literature on uncertainty and temporality, we argue that the institutional uncertainty characterizing the programme compromised Salvadorian asylum seekers' ability to act strategically toward the attainment of a less precarious status. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)