When war forced Asma and her family to flee Sudan for Egypt, she left behind her career as a legal professional. Today, she works as a Business Acceptance Unit Paralegal at a global law firm in the UK. This is her story.

Life in Sudan

When war broke out in Sudan, Asma and four of six family members were forced to flee to Egypt seeking safety. Despite holding a law degree and a year of legal experience in Sudan, Asma faced the reality that confronts many displaced professionals: her qualifications and expertise meant little in a market that offered underpaid positions without contracts.

"Finding work in Egypt was difficult," Asma explains. "Most opportunities required relocating to Cairo and living on savings for potentially two months without income. Many people moved to Gulf countries, but that also required savings we didn't have."

After working remotely for an incubation hub and a small law office during her time in Sudan, Asma continued with the incubation hub for another five months in Egypt, handling small tasks remotely before being laid off. She spent 18 months in Egypt applying for jobs across multiple countries and focusing on master's programme applications, gradually losing hope of finding suitable employment that matched her skills and experience.

Finding TBB

In May 2023, shortly after arriving in Egypt, Asma encountered a TBB LinkedIn post and registered on the Talent Catalog immediately. Like many candidates, she was initially sceptical. "I thought it was too good to be true," Asma admits. "But what made TBB different was that they never asked for money from candidates, unlike what we hear about some hiring offices. Their support throughout the process made me feel comfortable."

The journey wasn't quick. An initial job application in October 2023 didn't succeed, but led to a new process with a global law firm based in the UK starting in December 2023. Eight months later, Asma received her job offer. During the immigration process, she was helped by Yahya, a TBB alumnus who now lives in Northern Ireland and works in the law firm Vialto Partners.

Transferable skills that made the difference

Asma's previous role in Sudan proved invaluable. As the only person with a legal background in a small company assisting startups, she developed critical multitasking abilities and learned to handle high levels of responsibility independently.

"That experience prepared me for my current role," she explains. "While I now work with large clients in compliance risk rather than startup support, the workload and level of responsibility feel familiar. I conduct customer due diligence work to comply with Anti-Money Laundering regulations."

Working at a global law firm with 60 offices across Asia Pacific, Australia, the Middle East, the US, the UK, and Europe, provides Asma with exposure to diverse business practices and international legal frameworks—opportunities that seemed impossible just months earlier.

Pictured: Asma at the UK Home Office for the Community Sponsorship Review workshop, alongside members of our alumni community, partners, and the TBB team.

Life in the UK

Asma relocated to the UK in September 2024 . The transition brought its own challenges.

"Moving from a slow routine at home to suddenly interacting with people daily and dealing with [UK weather] was overwhelming at first," she recalls. Despite London's housing crisis, Asma secured a flat within a month, a stroke of luck that eased her settlement into her new home.

Since her arrival, Asma has contributed her lived experience perspective to advocacy efforts advancing refugee labour mobility in the UK. She attended the Community Sponsorship Review workshop at the Home Office in April 2025 and met with International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Director-General Amy Pope in July, helping to shape policy conversations that will expand pathways for other displaced professionals.

Advice for Candidates and Employers

For displaced professionals considering TBB: "I understand the scepticism—I felt it too," Asma says. "But rely on real-life examples. Organizations like TBB offer genuine guidance and support. They don't guarantee outcomes, but they provide a legitimate pathway that changes lives."

For employers considering hiring displaced talent: "Look at successful examples of people hired through pathways like TBB. Hiring displaced people doesn't just change individual lives—it changes perceptions, decreases hostility, and raises the voice of hard-working individuals who simply need an opportunity to contribute their skills."

Asma's journey from displacement in Egypt to a professional role at a global law firm in the UK demonstrates how skilled refugees can thrive when given access to legitimate employment pathways. Her story reflects a broader reality: displaced professionals possess valuable expertise that benefits both employers facing skill shortages and the families they support back home.

From displacement to global law: Asma's journey from Sudan to the UK

Partnership expands legal pathways for hiring displaced professionals in Germany

The wider impact of labour mobility through refugee remittances