Securing a livelihood when one is dependent on irregular work is marked by its temporary nature and considerable uncertainty. The interviewed persons could often not choose their employment. They were dependent on mediators or relatives, friends and others. They carried out primarily unskilled work and remained confronted with the fact that they do not have the opportunity to obtain a better job. They considered the lost opportunities to be a direct consequence of their statelessness and associated limitations. « « « It depends on who will call me. I paint, weld, work on construction sites. And so I live, sometimes for several days without any meal.” I live day by day. I don’t know what will happen the next day. Maybe I will work, some temporary job somewhere or something similar. I do what I can to survive.” I do what I can, sometimes I wash dishes, sometimes I work in a restaurant, I work as much as I can. (…) I am hardworking, I like working and I have worked for 9 years. I cannot live without work. I could do something better, but I can’t because I do not have the documents, I am scared. I am the homeless.” 6.2 Pension and retirement The persons interviewed in the study at the age of 60 and above, who were approaching the retirement age, could not count all their years of work for their pension entitlement. This was mainly due to past irregular employment. However, they also found it impossible to get a certificate for the period of time they worked outside the Czech Republic. Two stateless persons who are no longer able to work due to their age and health condition were financially supported by their family members in the Czech Republic or abroad. One person with a valid residence permit received a disability pension. Age played a key role in terms of thinking about retirement, which was clear from the testimonies concerning stateless persons’ everyday lives and making plans and wishes for the future. Older persons interviewed were very afraid of the future, when they would no longer be able to work and earn enough money to cover their basic needs such as housing and food. Those who worked in the Czech Republic or have worked for a certain period of time, at least irregularly, considered this situation disadvantageous and unfair. They have often performed difficult manual jobs, usually for low wage and with limited guarantees of being paid. Some considered the impossibility to work legally as an injustice that prevented them from acquiring basic security in their lives, earning enough money and having at least some prospects for the future. 6.3 Housing Just as in the case of employment, the residence status and corresponding financial situation of the stateless persons interviewed significantly determined their housing prospects. As noted above, 12 out of 15 interviewed persons did not have a valid residence permit at the time of the interviews. The interviews with those persons were dominated by their concerns of becoming homeless and the inability to secure a stable and legal housing based on a contract. Some of the interviewed persons were or have occasionally been homeless. At the time of the research, one person was homeless for over six months and other persons have also experienced temporary homelessness for weeks at a time. « I live outside as homeless a person, I have lived outside on the street for a long time. I live in Prague, either at friend’s house or under the bridge.” UNHCR Czech Republic 41