People have been coming to Britain from other countries for thousands of years. Some have stayed for only a short while, going back home or moving on. Others have made homes here. Over the centuries, immigrants have influenced every aspect of life in Britain from clothes, food and language to religion and politics.
There are different types of identities for foreign nationals in the UK, depending on the reasons for their migration:
- Migrant Workers:
Workers who move from one place to another to find work (Source: Oxford English Dictionary).
Most migrant workers in Breckland are from Portugal, but there are increasing numbers from other EU member states and other countries where they have the appropriate visa.
- Asylum Seeker:
Someone who has left their country of origin due to a well founded fear of persecution - because of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a social group or political opinion.
They need to make a formal application to the Home Office for asylum within the UK.
- Refugees:
If an asylum seeker is granted asylum, they become known as refugees and are granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK and are elegible to receive a range of state benefits and services.
For more information:
Refugee Council
Tel: 01473 297900
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
NASS (National Asylum Support Service)
Tel: 0845 602 1739
www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
East of England Consortium for Asylum and Refugee Integration (EECARI)
East of England Local Government Conference
Flempton House
Flempton
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP28 6EG
Tel: 01206-729449
EECARI is the regional enabling body for the co-ordination of services to asylum seekers and refugees in the East of England. It's role is to provide support, advice and representation to organisations working with asylum seekers and refugees across the statutory, voluntary and private sectors.
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