This article presents a study of three asylum-seeking men from Iran and Afghanistan. It aimed to explore how and if they experienced occupations as occupations in a Danish asylum centre and how their life experience shaped their choice and value of current occupations. In-depth narrative interviews explored the participants’ occupational history and its influence on their occupations in the asylum centre. A thematic analysis showed that the participants had been subjected to occupational disruption and deprivation by politically oppressive systems even before their flight. Their occupations in Denmark were to a certain extent influenced by their earlier occupations and the current occupational deprivation they all experienced was due to limited possibilities in the centre. Although they tried their best to fill their days and create structure, there was a loss of valued occupations and a profound sense of occupational deprivation. One of the participants had been subjected to torture and he experienced occupational deprivation to a greater extent. The findings suggest that further research should include exposure to torture as a key component when examining the occupational deprivation of asylum seekers. © 2013 The Journal of Occupational Science Incorporated.