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Workshop – Bridging Cultures and Laws: Parenting for Migrant Families in the UK

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Migrant Action are joining with Empowering Parents of African Children in the UK (EPACUK) to co-host a Migration and Parenting Seminar & Workshop. 

When: 28th June, 2024 – 9am-12.30pm 

Where: Shine, Harehills Road, Leeds, LS8 5HS

Parenting-for-migrant-families-in-the-UK-flyerDownload

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Join us for a public education workshop covering a variety of topics, including the following: 

  • Understanding culture and its influence on parenting
  • Understanding UK parenting norms and safeguarding laws
  • Balancing cultural values with UK parenting norms and safeguarding laws
  • Cultural differences and their impact on parenting practices
  • Effective communication and problem-solving within the context of cultural differences
  • And so much more!

The Facilitator of this seminar & workshop will be Chenai Machinjike. Chenai is a registered UK Social Worker with over a decade of experience in safeguarding and family support teams, court teams, and fostering and adoption. Her expertise lies in conducting culturally informed parenting assessments of African parents as an independent social work consultant. 

Chenai is passionate about promoting positive parenting of African children in the UK and providing culturally sensitive parenting education and guidance to improve outcomes.

This seminar & workshop will be the first in a series of public education events by Migrant Action aimed at empowering migrants and creating spaces for knowledge exchange and understanding to ensure equity of rights and access to justice.

Creating an enabling and supportive environment for economic integration for migrants in Barnsley

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The hostile migration environment has an economic dimension. This hostility takes shape in, but not limited to, restricted employment opportunities for migrants particularly those who are new in the UK.   

The barriers to work for migrants are onerous and numerous including but not limited to; Low levels of English language, Difficulty in recognising previous qualifications and experience, Gaps in employment history and no access to reference, Lack of work experience in the UK, Unfamiliarity with the UK job market, recruitment processes and work related welfare support mechanisms, lack of development and progression pathways and an acute lack of understanding amongst employers of the reality of migration and how it impacts migrants in the work environment.  These operational conditions are exacerbated by wider structural/systemic factors including but not limited to; workers rights regimes &labour exploitation, poltics & political economy of migrant labour,  systemic racism,  struggling global economy, skills dislocation and new automated technologies etc. 

These intersecting and complex conditions create an extremely  challenging and perhaps hostile work environment for migrants to evolve and thrive.  Also, the precarity of these conditions is also influenced by local realities of employment opportunities and support infrastructures.  As such, Migrant Action works with its local partners to identify and help create an enabling and supportive employment environment for migrants.  Such support involves removing barriers but also working towards building and strengthening local infrastructure for ensuring equitable access to work opportunities, development and progression pathways,  awareness of workers rights and regimes to accessing these rights and capacity building to enhance understanding of migration and transforming wider structural barriers.  In essence, building employment resilience and creating an enabling and supportive environment for migration and economic justice.

In March, Migrant Action alongside its patners of the Migration Partnership Barnsley organised a Job Fair and Employability Event aimed at articulating the aforementioned aims.  It was a very succesful event centering the lived experiences and expertise of migrants working collaboratively with local private employment agencies, the local employment and skills department,  DWP etc.   The event also articulated the intersectionality and interface of employment with Housing, mental & physical health & wellbeing, poverty & destitution and the precarious pathways of criminality that could lead to negative immigration outcomes.  As such, the event also facilitated the participation of these broader services enabling effective partnership and networking to address these conditions and barriers to employment for migrants.   The event also highlight the importance of positive employment pathways to enable  effective integration and building strong and cohesive communities. 

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Migrant Action and Eritrean Community Leeds & Surrounding Areas

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When: Friday 8th of March – 5-8pm – but feel free to come and go as you wish

Where: 29 Cromwell Mount, LS9 7GB 

This Friday, for International Women’s Day, we are collaborating with Eritrean Community Leeds & Surrounding Areas to deliver an event which celebrates migrant women and brings people together as a community. 

Food and soft drinks will be available, but feel free to bring along some snacks if you wish!

During this event, we will have a small talk focused on postnatal depression. We will be explaining what postnatal depression is, how it impacts migrant communities, where you can get help, and how you can help someone who you think may be struggling. The aim of this small talk is to help destigmatise postnatal depression – there will be no judgement in this space. 

Community Resilience: Reflections on our Preparing for the Illegal Migration Act Workshop

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By Fidelis Chebe and Georgia Hawthorne

On Tuesday the 6th of February, Migrant Action and Right To Remain co-hosted a workshop event discussing the Illegal Migration Act (IMA), how it is being enforced and how it is impacting our community. This event brought together a collective of different charities, organisations and individuals who are seeking to challenge the hostile effects of the IMA, and who support migrants within the local area. Events like these remind us of the importance of community, collective action and collective power. It is through coming together and collaborating that we can better address the unjust impacts of migration policies and support those who are vulnerable within our society.

A Note on Language: 

The Illegal Migration Act is problematic in its coding of human beings as legal or illegal. This following quote from Right To Remain details their difficulty with this term,

[The term “illegal”] is clearly dehumanising and apathetic to the experiences of people seeking sanctuary or a better life, whose journey to the United Kingdom (UK) was dictated by nothing more than an accident of birth. Second, it is factually incorrect. The act of migrating is not inherently illegal – not under entrenched principles of international law and policy. People move; we always have, and we always will. Third, it is grammatically incorrect. In any other arena, if an individual commits a crime, they do something illegal, they don’t become something illegal. In this way, our well-known belief that #NoOneIsIllegal has become increasingly poignant and urgent. [1]

What is the Illegal Migration Act?

In short, the IMA is a piece of legislation which aims to stop migration to the UK by irregular means: whether that’s small boat crossings, travelling clandestinely, or using false documents to arrive and remain in the UK. The Illegal Migration Bill passed into law in July 2023, thus becoming an Act, but not all sections of the Act have yet been enforced. 

In the workshop presentation, the Right to Remain legal education officer Leah Cowling, set out the legal technicalities of the Act. The presentation highlighted what parts of the Act have and have not been enforced, which sections are workable or unworkable, and the currently not-enforced lynchpin of the Act.  This Right To Remain blog explicitly unpacked the legal technicalities of the Act: link.

The IMA goes against the Refugee Convention of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and is incompatible with both the European Convention Against Trafficking (ECAT) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). In the workshop discussion, it is acknowledged that deterrence is largely ineffective at stopping the flow of migration and rather, exacerbates the risk and danger of unsafe routes to the UK.  Also, the potential criminalisation of asylum would likely result in more poverty, destitution and vulnerability to exploitation, abuse and other forms of migrant injustice within the UK for precarious migrants with insecure/irregular migration status.  

See Right to Remains’ blog post that provides a good summary of this: Link.  These migrant vulnerabilities and injustices are confronted through Migrant Action’s advice and casework whereby we provide a range of support interventions with limited resources.

The Impact of the IMA on our Communities

Through a panel discussion and group tasks, we spent time examining the impact of the IMA on our communities. Key themes of fear, anxiety and distrust were voiced, with it being emphasised that such a hostile Act impacts everyone not just migrants. The increased pressure felt amongst volunteer groups seeking to fill gaps in current UK welfare provision was also noted, with the opacity and fluctuating nature of the Act making it difficult to keep up with, to understand, and to challenge in this sector. 

Main Takeaways

  • The importance of collaborative and a collective effort – we are stronger together.

The collective organising of campaigns allows for creativity and endurance in tackling social injustice and in supporting those who are vulnerable in our community. Connections between groups should be fostered and encouraged through more events like this workshop. 

  • It is time to ‘mainstream’ issues of migration (in)justice. 

We need to stop discussing and treating issues of migration injustice as niche problems that only impact a portion of our community. Issues facing many migrants in the UK – such as destitution and homelessness, mental health struggles, inaccessible healthcare – overlap with issues faced by all of us. Bridges need to be forged between migration charities and other sectors, in turn strengthening our potential power as a collective. 

  • More public education

Awareness and understanding of complex migration issues (legislation, policies, context and impact analyses etc) in order to prevent harmful narratives/practices and effective organising for positive change requires public education and community engagement.

Conclusion

Migrant Action is a rights and migrant justice organisation supporting vulnerable migrants including, but not limited to, people confronted by insecure and irregular immigration status. We anticipate that IMA will force more people into this category who will reach out for support from Migrant Action. In preparing for the Act as part of a wider network and support infrastructure, we will continue to develop learning and community organising partnerships with other organisations to strengthen public education and building capacity for system change. 

   

Volunteering: Building a hopeful environment for migrants

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Author- Fidelis Chebe

Migrant Action’s work is focused on, but not limited to, humanitarian and migration justice. It also articulates intersectionality of human rights, economic, social, racial and climate justice, hence forges transformative solidarity and allyship for systemic justice.   Through our radical collaborative approach, we create welcoming, supportive, and enabling environments for transformational social change and migration justice towards a liberative futures for migrants.

Our diverse team of volunteers harness their lived experience of migration and systemic injustice and a variety of skills and expertise, to enable Migrant Action to deliver vital humanitarian support services to migrant whilst facilitating systemic change.  In essence, our volunteers are ‘activists’ working in solidarity, in pursuit of migration justice.

Our volunteering support currently involves but not limited to the following activities: fundraising, advice, casework and advocacy support, research, campaigning for policy change, social media communications, data analysis, outreach & community engagement. The impact of volunteering for the organisation, beneficiaries, communities, and volunteers themselves is transformative.

Our team of volunteers reflect and help embed Migrant Action’s radical collaborative and inclusive approach and help unleash hope and resilience.  Above all, they strengthen solidarity towards a liberative future for migrants and migration justice.

If you would like to join our amazing team of volunteers and be part of the wider movement for migration justice and social change, please contact Migrant Action via email; info@migrantaction.org.uk

A Better Deal For Migrants

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Standing together for a fairer and humane immigration system.

On 9th February, Migrant Action joined other organisations, migrants, campaigners and policymakers at conference, themed “A Better Deal for Migrants”, organised by Migrant Voice to campaign together for a fairer visa and settlement system.

The campaign calls for shorter settlement routes and an end to extortionate visa fees. Organisers stated that the purpose for the conference was to “bring together individuals – many with experience of the visa and settlement process – and organisations campaigning on these issues. We wanted people to come together to share, connect and generate ideas for stronger campaigning for a fairer immigration system.”

Migrant Action supports the campaign, and our director is a member of the campaign steering group. At Migrant Action, we routinely see the cruelty of extortionate fees as migrants, including children, are forced to make difficult choices and in some cases, into precarious lifestyles to afford the fees. To many migrants, the visa fees and the immigration system is inhumane, unfair and hostile.

For more information, see the articles below by Migrant Voice and Rights to Remain.

Migrant Voice: A Better Deal For Migrants
Right to Remain: At What Cost? Challenging Routes to Settlement in the UK

‘Navigating the cost of living crisis’ – a local response from the Migration Partnership Barnsley

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By Mia Kinsey, Student Intern at Migrant Action

Migrant Action is part of the Migration Partnership – a local collaborative initiative of migration and mainstream agencies working together to achieve their shared goals; offering migrant-led infrastructure for the sustainable engagement and meaningful participation of migrant communities in mainstream activity. The partnership runs a multi-agency drop-in every Wednesday at Hope House Church, the aim of this drop in is to strengthen connections amongst the organizations involved and provide a safe space for migrant communities to seek advice and support. Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (BMBC) are supporting this partnership through endorsement and resources, and all organizations involved support each other and those who reach out during the drop-ins for help. It was great to connect with representatives of BMBC at the event and hear about some of the great work they are doing. What we can see here is the successful implementation of motivations through collaboration to create change, ensuring effective integration amongst the community and transforming lives. 

On Wednesday 1st February, the Migration Partnership organized a multi-agency and community networking  event themed ‘ Navigating the Cost of Living Crisis- A local Response’.  Agencies and communities discuss the rising cost-of-living and how it has disproportionately impacted parts of the community.  Each focus group at the event had representatives from different organisations, allowing for diverse perspectives and ideas. Four discussion points were given, with one assigned to each table to discuss and then share at the end. The four discussion points were: the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on services, staff and the most vulnerable in the community; what is currently available to support people, especially the most vulnerable; what more could or should be done to help, and where are the gaps; and the role of the Migration Partnership and the BMBC. 

During the networking event, participants identified several sources of support for various needs. For language support, the Refugee Council, Feels Like Home, and Adult Learning were identified. For housing support, Berneslai Homes, BMBC, and MEARS were listed as resources. Health Integration, food banks, and food pantries were identified as sources for health and food support. Family centres and free school meals were suggested for parents seeking advice for children. All tables discussed the rising cost of living, and one table highlighted that food banks are receiving significantly fewer donations as fewer people can afford to give. The discussion also focused on the mental health impacts of the crisis and the resulting pressure on mental health services or organizations. These impacts contribute to pre-existing inequalities, resulting in fewer resources being available to already vulnerable communities during this time of crisis. 

After a successful and informative event, it is clear that the Migration Partnership has achieved a great deal in terms of raising awareness and providing support to local migrant communities. The event encouraged many thought-provoking discussions, all of those who attended showed creativity and commitment to creating sustainable engagement amongst migrant communities. By bringing together local authority, community leaders, and migrant support organizations, Migrant Action through the partnership has created a platform for genuine collaboration, community engagement, strategic advocacy and local influencing in Barnsley.

The event successfully identified various sources of support for different needs, highlighting the importance of collaboration amongst organizations to better serve vulnerable communities. By discussing the gaps in existing support systems and suggesting possible solutions, the partnership is taking a proactive approach to addressing challenges and driving positive change. It is clear that through events like this, the partnership is able to showcase the important work being done to support migrants and highlight the challenges that they face. This is a testament to the power of collaboration and the collective effort of the partnership towards creating a more integrated and equitable community for all.

Migrant Action & UOL: A Collaborative Project ‘Structural Vulnerability’

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Written and edited by Mia Kinsey and Aisling O’Brien, Student Interns at Migrant Action

Migrant Action have collaborated with the University of Leeds to create a project ‘Structural Vulnerability & Migration: The Impact of COVID-19 on International Students at University of Leeds’ focusing on the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had upon minoritized and racialised communities. The project was created by a team of University of Leeds students and has been informed by Migrant Action’s ‘fight for structural change’ and ‘commitment to empowering migrants’. The project so far consists of two issues; these issues are in the form of a ‘zine’, an electronic magazine that combines text and art to convey a message. The first issue is an introductory zine, introducing the team behind the project and establishing the project’s aims. The second issue then delves into these aims and discusses, with reference to the words of international students, the inequalities that have been faced by international students studying in Leeds during COVID-19 restrictions.  The piece highlights from the outset that the inordinate impact of COVID-19 upon the wellbeing of international students in the UK is due to pre-existing inequalities; these inequalities were described to be caused by the processes of othering, discrimination and exclusion.  is an ongoing piece of work, with an aim to raise awareness to and work against structural vulnerability. 

This piece of work (Volume 1: Issue 2) is particularly significant as it is the first to have been created by the University of Leeds on this topic; this is a step in a promising direction for both publicising the experiences of international students and beginning to form some meaningful actions that can be taken by university officials. The work produced by the University of Leeds has been tied together with the creation of the platform VOIS, or ‘Voice of International Students’, which consists of a website presenting electronic zines and blog posts, and an Instagram account. 

The piece highlights the underlying discourse that young people have been largely unaffected by the pandemic; this has been noticeable with the way in which younger generations have been depicted in the media, with stories of students breaking restrictions. Although this has happened on several occasions, the media fail to call attention to the many difficulties that students faced during this time, and the lasting impacts that these difficulties have had. The negative perception of students that the media has emphasised has undoubtedly disguised the profound impact that COVID-19 has had on students. As I previously mentioned, this piece of work aims to capture the way in which these impacts have been worsened for international students, exploring the structural inequalities that Migrant Action recognise and seek to unravel at the community level. 

International students within the UK face several difficulties, regardless of unprecedented circumstances. Moving to the UK for many international students means adapting to unfamiliar areas, cultures and climate, sometimes with little to no support network. These types of networks were less available to international students during COVID-19, due to social restrictions. Those without a pre-existing network of friends within the UK, weren’t able to go out and make one, meaning that the online study based life felt quite lonely for many. However, these issues are not isolated to international students, but rather demonstrate institutional practices which white people benefit from, whilst marginalised groups face disadvantages. 

Demotivation also seems to be one of the main issues that international students faced during the pandemic. The shift to online school has been difficult for many, whether this is due to difficulty understanding or engaging with lecture material. Within the study, many interviewees disclosed that, as an international student, they experienced feelings of culture shock, reducing their sense of belonging. This was exacerbated during the pandemic with the shift to online life, and with lockdown resulting in a lack of intercultural interaction, creating a greater sense of dislocation. The piece also highlights that the term international student itself can be seen as problematic. The classification of international students as a group separate to British students creates a divide, further reinforcing the binary between domestic and international students. This is a term that is used and emphasised by the university itself, highlighting the way that the university are not removed from this issue, but rather they are a part of it. On many occasions, interviewees highlighted feelings of abandonment with regards to the university and a lack of support during the pandemic. 

The main aims of this work were to produce creative pieces that “reveal the dominant challenges as the first step in a gradual process of transformation”. The Zines produced as a contribution to the VOIS platform certainly meets this aim by telling the stories of international students through well-selected quotations, embedded amongst thought-provoking art and photography. The piece consistently reiterates that it does not seek to provide a mere retelling of students’ accounts, but to raise awareness of the structural inequalities that shape their experiences and provide a platform that can be utilised beyond this project to help combat these issues. 

VOIS Zine Issue 2: https://indd.adobe.com/view/f2f35828-6260-4bfe-9626-c66aac157e81 

VOIS Website: https://voisleeds.weebly.com

Happy New Year from Migrant Action!

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A message from Director Fidelis Chebe

2022! What a hectic year that was! For many of us, our resilience and commitment were tested as we navigated the many challenges, changes and uncertainty that confronted us.   

As we adapted to these ‘environments’, it is very likely that some our plans for 2022 did not materialise as expected nor our hopes actualise as anticipated.  Therefore, it is likely that many of us feel exhausted, underwhelmed, and unfulfilled – looking forward to a break, a time to rest, if we can, to rethink and re-energise in preparation for the year ahead.   

For many of us too, in 2022, we encountered and experienced new opportunities for re-imagining our futures in terms of who we are, how we are living, working, and relating to other people and our environment.  Therefore, looking to consolidate and expand these transformative opportunities in 2023. 

At Migrant Action, our work was characterised by significant local, national, and global challenges and opportunities that deepened our resilience for migration justice and hope for social change.  As an organisation, we stood and continue to stand firmly alongside vulnerable migrants supporting them to navigate and overcome the impact of the hostile migration environment and wider systemic challenges. Our direct support and advocacy continue make a positive difference in the lives of migrants whilst contributing towards systemic and social change. 

Despite the steep challenges we faced, we have been greatly encouraged and inspired by the outcomes achieved for our clients, the authentic collaboration with our partners as well as the depth of relationships with our funders, volunteers, and supporters of Migrant Action. We have also been motivated by the passion for transformational change by individuals, organisations and movements resisting racial and social injustice in pursuit of a fair, humane, and just society. 

As such, Migrant Action’s purpose, resolve and commitment to empower migrants, transform lives and influence transformational social change is emboldened.  Working together, we are look forward to 2023 with courage, centring people, hope and joy at the heart of our resistance. 

With gratitude and appreciation, Migrant Actions extends a heart-felt thank you to you all, as we anticipate a positive year ahead co-working for migrant justice and social change. 

My very best wishes to you and yours as we enter 2023,

Fidelis Chebe

Director

Migrant Action

Structural vulnerability & Migration- The impact of Covid-19 on International Students at University of Leeds

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Covid-19 and the murder of George Floyd by a serving policeman in the United States, further exposed the consequences of systemic/structural injustice rooted in socio-cultural, political and economic hierarchies and the disproportionate impact of these ‘hierarchies’ on structurally disadvantaged groups/constituencies. There is overwhelming consensus underpinned by research, that BAME communities including migrants faired worse in the pandemic not due to their collective recklessness or some natural deficiencies, rather, their precarious outcomes found root in routine structural vulnerability and structural ‘neglect’ that precede the pandemic. 

As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, the pursuit in solidarity of lasting equal recovery necessitates our collective authenticity in examining the Faultline of structural inequalities and socio-cultural and economic ‘hierarchies’ and the precarious consequences on structurally disadvantaged and minoritized communities.  Such honest pursuit would help engineer equal resilience for future pandemics and wider systemic transformational change.

Using the context of Covid-19, this blog captures a collaborative project by Migrant Action and University of Leeds to highlight the impact of structural vulnerability on international students. It articulates systemic and transformational change towards ensuring equal recovery from the pandemic and equity of resilience to ongoing and future ‘emergencies. 

Read full blog below written by Evie Mendoza (Project team) 

Our project surrounds the question of the impact of Covid-19 on international students. International students, from undergraduate to PhD level, were significantly affected by lockdown restrictions in society, and specifically at the University. Many of these students may have moved to the UK just as the country was locking down, and they may have found themselves living in an unfamiliar area, with few support networks. Due to the nature of online teaching, many international students (like home students) will not have met their lecturers or peers and may have faced increased struggles to access materials and academic support. They may also have been uncertain about how to access wellbeing and mental health support, being far away from home and loved ones. 

This project sets out to examine, understand and raise awareness of the issues that these students have faced and continue to face due to the pandemic both in the University and beyond. Our primary aims are to raise awareness of these challenges, set up a platform to amplify their voices, strengthen dialogue between home and international students, and drive structural change at the University as we uncover areas in need of improvement. Within this project, we will be using an online survey and online focus group. 

The survey will have 10 questions, investigating the overall impact of covid 19. The survey will ask more specific questions than the focus group so that we can find out the impact of covid on mental health, social relationships and academic life. We will also ask about whether they have accessed support systems, like societies, to uncover whether the university support has been effective and easily accessible. The focus groups will allow for a more personal insight into their experiences. We hope to hold one online focus group with five international student ambassadors at the university. We picked 5 student ambassadors for this method because their role involves being the voice of many students, so it will hopefully allow our research to be more representative and to help to prevent one of the biggest challenges of focus groups – that some participants might be reluctant to speak. These will be held on zoom and the emphasis will be on maintaining neutrality through open-ended + primarily exploratory research questions.

While considering our outputs, it was important to us to make sure the findings of this research project are presented in a way that is impactful and long-lasting. We realise social and structural change is not an overnight task. However, we believe our research can lay the foundations for such change to take place overtime. We hope to showcase our findings through various visual and written methods: using art and poetry submissions from international students; the setting up of a social media account and an electronic art magazine.

We have already set up an Instagram account @vois.Leeds in order to share our findings and connect people online to our other outputs and useful resources. In an era where technology dominates daily life, we agreed that social media would be a good way for our audiences to engage with our research. 

We also aim to create a ‘zine’, a small magazine, which will feature these works of art and poetry created by international students. Historically zines have been used by marginalised voices to share stories and document experience

Migrant Action’s response to ‘The New Plan for Immigration’

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On 23 rd  March 2021, the UK Government announced sweeping changes to how it will treat people seeking safety in the UK. These changes signal the Government’s firm resolve to pursue even more hostile and inhumane treatment for people forced to flee and seeking sanctuary in the UK.

The ‘New Plan for Immigration’ undermines the sanctity of life and disregards the compassionate treatment of asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants by humanitarian agencies and millions of ordinary people of goodwill.  Of grave concern, these changes legitimize state-sanctioned cruelty and signal a disturbing trajectory for the future of migrant rights and justice and the prospects of a fair, just, and harmonious society. The plan risks criminalizing people seeking sanctuary.

The timing and framing of the Government’s consultation on the ‘New Plan for Immigration’ expose the reluctance to genuinely listen and its resolve to pursue the policy- (for more details on the shortcomings of the consultation set out in a public statement by Refugee Action, click the link below).

Migrant Action stands in solidarity with the voices for compassion, equity of rights and justice, and for a fair, just, and humane immigration system. Through our collaborative work, we uphold and value the sanctity and dignity of human lives threatened increasingly by protracted conflicts and complex political emergencies as well, structural violence exemplified in part, by the Government’s ‘new plan for immigration. 
 
For more responses to the ‘New Plan for Immigration’, see links below

How Quakers can respond to the Government’s New Plan for Immigration ‘consultation’ *** ends 6 May 2021
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10MKdFDt1IHFYNDI5Poge0BUIIrLKpeqLmQCMogS75lE/edit
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrpXrE5JrHwAuKfiIt_y5NTYrLTAPZobhDriI87PMoevK6DQ/viewform?gxids=7628
https://www.refugeewomen.co.uk/campaign/new-plan-for-immigration/
Over 70 leaders working with refugee women come together to highlight to the Home Secretary that her new plan for immigration will harm women
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/priti-patel-immigration-plans-women-refugees-b1840281.html

MIGRANT ACTION: COVID19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Health Justice online workshop

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We are delighted to announce that Migrant Action will be running an online workshop on 14th April 2021 at 10 am that focuses on migrant and BME communities and the difficulty they face in regards to the COVID19 vaccine

BME communities continue to be overrepresented in Covid-19 related hospitalisations and deaths. The crushing economic impact of Covid-19 is most visible amongst these communities who are overrepresented at the ‘frontline’ and in the most precarious, disposable, insecure and low paid jobs. Migrants, who have no recourse to public funds, don’t have a ‘safety-net’ to fall back whilst those with insecure or irregular immigration status, are wary about participating in Covid-19 responses including the vaccine.

Whilst vaccine ‘hesitancy’ is complex, covid-19 outcomes for BME and migrant communities are precariously obvious.

Migrant Action is organising a collaborative workshop to:

– Enhance constructive discourse about covid-19/vaccine

– Ensure equity of access to the vaccine

– Challenge conspiracies and transform vaccine hesitancy

This workshop features special guest keynote speakers:

– Anna Miller and Matteo Besana (Doctors of the World)

– Aliya Yule (Migrants Organise)

– Tesfalem Yemane (RETAS)

To purchase tickets for the online workshop:

Register on Eventbrite

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Volunteer opportunity – ESOL teacher

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For new migrants in the UK, the pathway to meaningful and sustainable integration is through accessing language, education and employability support.  These vital support packages are limited hence many migrants are forced to the edges of society where they are routinely exploitable.

We are seeking volunteers and interns to deliver ESOL and English conversation classes for migrants, face-to-face or online. Our blended approach of ESOL and employability support is integral to effective advocacy and integration.

If you are keen on this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people, please contact us at info@migrantaction.org.uk or call us on 01138330991

Covid-19: Not without food!

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Covid-19 has deepened poverty, deprivation and destitution in disadvantaged communities. Increasingly, Migrant Action is witnessing individuals who are struggling to adequately meet the basic needs of food, education and shelter.

For vulnerable migrants, the need is greater and the consequences of unmet needs are severe. The pandemic has exacerbated vulnerability for those living on the ‘hard edges’ of society, especially migrants who have no recourse to public funds and restricted access to services.

Our Response

Over the autumn half-term, Migrant Action partnered with Complete Woman and URP-Leeds ltd to deliver hot meals, sandwiches and snacks to over 75 children accompanied by their parents and carers. 

The initiative was part of a Migrant Action’s Covid-19 relief in association with the wider community-led national campaign led by the Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford. 

Our partnership worked in collaboration with other community stakeholders including Ethiopian restaurant Melkam and the Christ Temple of Worship church. Both provided access and trusted spaces for children, parents and carers to spend time together in a safe and relaxed environment.

More than Just Food

This initiative strengthened local partnerships, supported local business, enhanced social and cultural integration, reduced loneliness and isolation, built new relationships, identified new needs and increased community resilience. 

These outcomes underpin Migrant Action’s ‘Strengthening Hands’ partnership, which aims to strengthen grassroots collaboration and tackle social justice and system change. These issues are rooted in the lived experience of migration, social and racial injustice.

Migrant Action is committed to alleviating the impact of Covid-19 on the most vulnerable. As the second wave of the pandemic takes hold, we anticipate an even more challenging winter, especially for the most vulnerable and destitute migrants.

 Therefore, through our partnerships, we will continue to offer support to migrants and those with no recourse including food for children and their families.


“This is a real partnership and grassroots engagement with local communities and
supporting local business” ( Kidist- Project coordinator- URP Leeds ltd)


How can you support us?

You can support our Covid-19 relief and the wider work on migrant rights and justice by donating to Migrant Action via this link https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/migrant-action-donations?fbclid=IwAR3koPJeeVSMoUjmnQ5mEmgsA1LQQcravCOkce8CnLGqjk5cdLlFrINoLTc

If you are passionate about migrant rights and social justice and would like to volunteer, email:  info@migrantaction.org.uk


‘Strengthening hands’: Responding to the Covid-19 Emergency

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The pandemic is a major test: not just to Migrant Action’s capacity to respond in complex ‘emergencies’- but Covid-19 also profoundly challenges our organisational ‘thinking’ and strategic direction. So, how does our organisation effectively meet the current crisis needs whilst building a resilient infrastructure for sustainably responding to emergencies and futures of vulnerable migrants? 

Building partnerships and collaboration is central to the organisation’s ethos, development and service delivery. Working with a cross section of agencies has been essential in providing crisis assistance to vulnerable migrants who have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 with most people encountering joblessness, destitution, loneliness & isolation especially for new arrivals, mental instability, insecure immigration status, poverty exacerbated due to having no recourse to public funds etc.

Meeting this complex and wide ranging emergency and long term needs in a continually changing immigration landscape requires a more systemic approach to our collaboration. As a grassroots organisation that is rooted in community mobilising and resilience, Migrant Action is adopting and developing its ‘Strengthening hands’ partnership model. 

We are developing partnerships with small community based organisations often ‘invisible’ and led by people with lived experience of migration supporting migrants in the community. Through sharing our limited resources (financial, knowledge, expertise, access etc) we empower and enable these organisations to provide crisis assistance to vulnerable migrants that are outside the reach of Migrant Action. Through our Strengthening-hands partners in Leeds and Barnsley, we have enhanced crisis assistance provision for vulnerable migrants.

‘Strengthening Hands’ is not only an effective Covid-19 response; it represents a significant strategic shift for Migrant Action in terms of our collaboration, capacity and resilience and leadership. Whilst providing immediate and short crisis assistance, the organisation recognises the urgency for systemic and sustainable responses to the complex migration challenges.

We are committed to ‘Strengthening-hands’ and envision the model partnerships becoming a lived experience-led and grassroots network that will empower leadership in small organisations, enhance service delivery and resilience, enable access to development and growth oriented opportunities, ensure effective emergency crisis response and long term support for vulnerable migrants.

Migrant Action articulates its purpose better through working together and building a strong platform for actualising migrant rights, justice and transformative social change.

Covid-19- Further Information Update

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Coronavirus poses significant challenges and serious risks to every fabric of our society. And, as a consequence, we are experiencing and adapting to fast moving changes.

For the most vulnerable living on the hard edges of society including; the elderly, people who are isolated, the homeless, destitute migrants with no recourse to public funds, people with insecure immigration status,  immigration detainees, migrants in insecure and low-paid work, coronavirus poses even greater threat to their lives and livelihoods.  

Though necessary, the current lockdown ‘remedies’ will disproportionately affect vulnerable migrants who risk further marginalisation and exclusion from limited service provision. In this current crisis, the most vulnerable become even more exploitable.  Broadly,  coronavirus poses serious risks to health and social care  and economic systems.  These ‘weakened’ systems will disproportionately impact on the most disadvantaged of our society including vulnerable migrants who often ‘hidden, ‘ignored’, or ‘crushed’.

As we adapt and respond to the crisis, Migrant Action continually applies its core values of humanity, solidarity, collaboration, adaptability, migrant justice, flexibility and resilience to ensure that we continue to serve our purpose in supporting migrants in these difficult times especially the most vulnerable.

So we want to let you know the nature of our service provision during this lockdown period and how the organisation as a whole is responding to the crisis.

What is Migrant Action providing and how?

Our Advice & Support Service

  • Our drop-ins in Leeds and Barnsley are temporarily closed during this lockdown period while we explore with our partners best ways of meeting the needs of clients who access our drop-ins.
  • However, our Information, Advice, Advocacy and Access to justice provision continues. We respond to client enquiries by telephone and will provide information, advice and guidance including signposting and referrals.  Contact us by telephone on 01133731763 or email us at info@migrantaction.org.uk
  • EU Settlement Scheme:  We are not able to provide face-face appointments to complete applications, however we continue to provide information and guidance by telephone to help EU nationals apply for Settled Status
  • Destitution Support–   We recognise that these are extremely tough times. If you are destitute especially families with no recourse to public funds, we may assist you with food parcel or food voucher.  Contact us on 01133731763
  • We continue our collaborative work with partners in line with government’s advice to ensure continuity of service delivery and effective strategic partnership.

Our Volunteers

During this challenging time our volunteers remain integral to the services we provide. The current situation demands of our volunteer service to be agile, to adapt and flex to respond effectively to our service needs.

  • Whilst community engagement and fundraising activities are on hold, our volunteers continue to raise awareness about Migrant Action’s work using social media and other virtual communication platforms.
  • We continue our volunteer peer support via Zoom, WhatsApp etc.
  • We would like to thank all our volunteers for their support and contribution
  • Recruitment for new volunteers is currently on hold until July 2020

Our commitment and overall goal

In this pandemic crisis despite our reduced service provision, Migrant Action remains committed to its core purpose and values. Our overall goal is to protect the rights, dignity, humanity and justice of vulnerable migrants particularly in this time of crisis.   This will be ensured by our capacity to flex, adapt, collaborate and be resourceful working together in solidarity. 

We pay huge tributes to the NHS and recognise the remarkable contribution of all migrants working in the NHS

Hope will triumph over despair!

Fidelis Chebe

Director- Migrant Action

Hope not despair! Responding to Coronavirus

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Coronavirus poses significant challenges and serious risks to every fabric of our society.

However, for the most vulnerable living on the hard edges of society, including; the elderly, people who are isolated, the homeless, destitute migrants with no recourse to public funds, people with insecure immigration status,  immigration detainees, migrants in insecure, precarious and low-paid work- coronavirus poses an even greater threat to their lives and livelihoods.  

Though necessary, the current lockdown ‘remedies’ will disproportionately affect vulnerable migrants who risk further marginalisation and exclusion from reduced service provision. In this current crisis environment of limited provision and increased competition for fewer opportunities, the most vulnerable become even more exploitable.  In the broader context, coronavirus poses a serious risks to existing fragile health, social and economic systems and the impact will disproportionately impact on those at the margins of our society often ‘hidden,  ‘ignored’, or ‘crushed’.

In responding effectively to the crisis, Migrant Action applies its core values of humanity, solidarity, collaboration, adaptability, migrant justice, flexibility and resilience to ensure that we continue to serve our purpose in supporting migrants in these difficult times especially the most vulnerable.

So we want to let you know the nature of our service provision during this lockdown period and how the organisation as a whole is responding to the crisis.

What is Migrant Action providing and how?

Our Advice & Support Service

  • Our drop-ins in Leeds and Barnsley are closed during this lockdown period.
  • However, our Information, Advice, Advocacy and Access to justice provision continues. We respond to support enquiries by telephone and will provide information, advice and guidance including signposting and referrals.  Contact us by telephone on 01133731763 or email us at info@migrantaction.org.uk
  • EU Settlement Scheme:  We are not able to provide face-face appointments to complete applications, however we continue to provide information and guidance by telephone to help EU nationals apply for Settled Status
  • Destitution Support–   We recognise that these are extremely tough times. If you are destitute especially families with no recourse to public funds, we may assist you with food parcel or food voucher.  Contact us on 01133731763

Our Volunteers

During this challenging time our volunteers remain integral to the services we provide. The current situation demands of our volunteer service to be agile, to adapt and flex to respond effectively to our service needs.

  • Whilst community engagement and fundraising activities are on hold, our volunteers continue to raise awareness about Migrant Action’s work using social media platforms.
  • We would like to thank all our volunteers for their support and contribution
  • Recruitment for new volunteers is currently on hold until May

Our commitment and overall goal

In this pandemic crisis despite our reduced service provision, Migrant Action remains committed to its core purpose and values. Our overall goal is to protect the rights, dignity, humanity and justice of vulnerable migrants particularly in this time of crisis.   This will be ensured by our capacity to flex, adapt, collaborate and be resourceful working together in solidarity. 

We pay huge tributes to the NHS and all migrants working in the NHS

Hope will triumph over despair!

Fidelis Chebe

Migrant Action

Migrant Action Pub Quiz

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Next Friday, the 31st of January, Leeds University’s Migrant Action Society will be hosting a pub quiz and raffle to raise funds for Migrant Action’s destitution fund. The Migrant Action Charity destitution fund offers a ‘lifeline’ for destitute migrants in the form of one-off small amounts of ‘hardship’ payment to help meet basic/crisis needs. The fund also helps vulnerable/destitute migrants to access pathways towards regularising their immigration status.

The quiz will start from 7.30pm at LS6 Cafe, 14-16A Headingley Lane, LS6 2AS in the upstairs room. See you there!

A CALL TO ACTION!

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Sadly, largely the tone and narratives on migration is becoming increasingly hostile. Government policies and political discourses convey a commitment to pursue with relentless gusto an anti-migration agenda unless it serves its domestic priorities.

The purpose of this torrent of hostile anti-migration policies across Europe is to force migrants into pathways of inhumane and degrading treatment that violates their humanity, human rights and for some their right to life.

What can we do?

Migrant Action is working with partner across the UK and in Europe to mark the 3rd of October as a day of ‘Welcome and Memory’. This campaign commemorates October 3rd when 368 people including children, women and men lost their lives in a shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa. http://www.snapshotsfromtheborders.eu/

Please support the Snapshots from the Borders campaign for a human rights-based approach to migration and solidarity with migrants.  

The aim is to get 25 000 signatures to push the EU parliament for policy change, and to shift towards a human rights-based approach to migration. Over 10,000 people have signed so far, please help us reach our target, and enable representation for this in the European Parliament.

You can sign the petition here: bit.ly/2LHJ6W6 and forward to your networks.

If you are in Leeds or able to travel to Leeds, We’d also like to invite you to come to our free screenings of 2 Award-winning films, which we are putting on with Leeds Film Festival:

 24th October: To the Four Winds – the story of a ‘heroic’ French people smuggler, who helps migrants to safety. 5-7pm at Leeds University, Rupert Beckett Lecture Theatre, Michael Sadler Building. Free food and drinks!

30th October: Revenir – a unique insight, which follows the ‘real-life’ journey of a migrant from the Ivory Coast. 6-8pm Belgrave Music Hall. Free drinks for the first 40 people

Let’s work together in solidarity to change policy and make a difference in people’s lives!

Migrant Action Director Fidelis Chebe sharing the campaign on Fever FM

Building Capacity for EU Settled Status Support in Barnsley

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Following a successful session in Doncaster in the summer, Migrant Action and CONSONANT (formerly known as Migrant Resource Centre) recently delivered an information and training session for voluntary organisations and statutory services. In attendance were ELSH, The Polish Library, Barnsley Central library, DWP, Barnsley Council and Migrant Action. 

The purpose of the session was to equip organisations with reliable information about the EU Settled Status scheme. The session also offered participants step by step guidance on how to support EU citizens applying for the scheme as well as referral advice for complex cases. 

The broader aim of the capacity building sessions is to ensure that vulnerable EU migrants are well informed and get the right level of support thereby reduce the risk of insecure immigration after BREXIT. Migrant Action recognises that such support though vital is limited in areas across the region including Barnsley hence it is filling a gap in service provision. The participants gained better understanding of the scheme, practical tips for completing the applications and referral process for complex cases. Participants also received good guidance regarding regulated and non-regulated advice. 

The workshop was a good networking opportunity and also included a Q&A session which allowed participants explore a range of issues to enhance understanding and preparedness. Following the workshop, Migrant Action will work collaboratively with ELSH, The Polish Library and other local partner organisations to develop a structured framework for delivering support to ensure that vulnerable EU migrants are aware and able to access right support.

See link below for further information about the EU settlement Scheme 

http://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/Documents/EU-Settlement-Scheme.pdf

Rethinking leadership development in the Migration Sector

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Migrant Action and Migration Exchange jointly held a consultation workshop in Leeds attended by a host of agencies to explore leadership development in the migration sector. The workshop formed part of a wider national consultation to evaluate the current state of leadership development in the sector and based on its findings, set out a new model for leadership development. 

Participants recognized the importance and urgency to develop leadership capacity for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds who have lived experience of migration system. Participants critiqued the acute lack of diversity and inclusion in leadership in the migration sector which they attributed fundamentally to an entrenched ‘systemic problem’ underpinned by the undervaluing and devaluing of leadership abilities and potential of individuals from refugee and migrant backgrounds. 

Participants recognized the positive ‘shift’ over the last decade as more people with lived experience of migration take up management and leadership positions in the sector. However, these were largely individualistic rather than systemic. To ensure greater and sustainable progress requires a step-change brought about through systematically growing leadership and management capacity and increasing access to leadership opportunities for people with lived experience of migration. Embedding leadership development within the communities would ensure sustainability and a shift the mind-set from deficit to asset based communities. 

Migrant Action strongly believes that in order to achieve such a step-change, leadership development model must produce ‘whole leaders’ who fully grasp the relevance of synchronizing the intellect, body, mind and soul to provide effective leadership in increasingly diverse and inclusive societies. As an organization, we are committed to developing leadership capacity amongst migrants.

New Frontiers, New Partners: Migrant Action in South Yorkshire

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Dmitry Fedotov ( Enterprise & Communities Manager- Youth Association)
Florentine Bootha-King ( Manager- ELSH)
Fidelis Chebe ( Director-Migrant Action)
(Left to right)

Non asylum seeking migrants in Barnsley and Doncaster (South Yorkshire) encounter similar challenges as those in Leeds, however these challenges are made worse due to the significant lack of appropriate support. As such, vulnerability is even more entrenched amongst migrants leading to poor migration and integration outcomes.  

Through building partnerships and working collaboratively with local community based organisations, Migrant Action effectively pursues its ambition of resolving their immediate concerns while empowering migrants negotiate pathways to integration.  Through our partnership with ELSH (Education Learning Support Hub- Barnsley), Migrant Action will become an integral part of an increasingly vibrant hub in the heart of the community thereby rendering our services more accessible to people who need our support. Our partnership with ELSH would increase access to other vital services within the hub and widely.

Equally, our partnership with The Youth Association, opens new pathways for engagement with the Roma communities in Barnsley and Doncaster to support young new arrivals and their families. Migrant Action’s engagement with the ROMA community has particular significance as there is growing anxiety amongst EU citizens regarding their right to stay in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.  

Identifying key stakeholders, building partnerships and working collaboratively to deliver support is central to Migrant Action’s strategy for consolidation, growth and social change.  We look forward to working with our partners in South Yorkshire.

Our research team

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Migrant Action is committed to its partnership with the local community expressed in variety of ways. By offering volunteering and student placement opportunities we grow our local partnership and empower individuals to make positive contribution to our work and the wider society. As an organisation, we recognise the value of research in evidencing our stance and interventions. We are delighted that these 3 ‘young researchers’ from the University of Leeds have taken a keen interest in these areas of Migrant Action’s work and wish to investigate with the view to increasing our collective understanding and capacity to respond so as to make a positive difference to the experiences of migrants.  Many thanks to Maddie, Rohde and Paddy! 

( Fidelis Chebe- Project Director Migrant Action)

‘In the shadows’: The problem of isolation among International Students

My name is Rohdé and I’m a Dutch student studying at the University of Leeds. My role within Migrant Action in the Research team focuses on international students in Leeds and the isolation problems they face moving to the UK. Research has proven that international students run into social, academic and psychological isolation when they move to a new country and I want to find out what problems international students in Leeds experience. 

By doing that, I hope I can find out how the universities in Leeds can improve their policies and support arrangements for international students and how Migrant Action as a local organisation working with migrants can respond proactively to these challenges and help contribute to a more positive experience for international students. 

De-skilling of Migrants- Madeleine Tarrant

Maddie is a third-year Philosophy student at the University of Leeds and volunteer for Migrant Action and is part of the research team. This research activity and volunteering is part of Maddie’s final year project at university and she hopes that the research would help influence and inform future Migrant Action initiatives. The project is based around the problem of deskilling amongst migrants, with a particular focus on the occurrence of deskilling in Leeds itself. 

Maddie states; ‘This is a phenomenon that is scarcely discussed in mainstream media and conversation but I hope that my research will help to change this. I am exploring the systematic nature of deskilling amongst explanations of why it occurs, and so far my research has highlighted the existence of underlying, institutionalised racism and prejudices which inform employment policies and make it increasingly difficult for skilled migrants to obtain qualification matched work. 

Through a series of interviews I hope to uncover the grievous human cost this has on individuals, families and societies. My final aim is to use my research to help Migrant Action to tackle the problem of deskilling, and provide migrants with the support and assistance needed to find appropriate, skill-matched employment’. 

Paddy Smith- Migration Briefings

Paddy is a second-year Geography student at Leeds University and is examining global migration and implications of these movements for migrants and host societies. As a volunteer and part of the Migrant Action research team, Paddy would produce a series of migration briefings to;

Unpack migration discourses and policies and their manifestations within the local community of Leeds.  The briefings would investigate and propose an alternative humane narrative to the dominant divisive discourse underpinned by anti-migration sentiments. The briefings also set out to;

Engage people from all walks of life to support Migrant Action from ranging from students to policy makers. Raise Awareness of migration issues, Challenge the overuse of vulnerability in the migration discourse – briefings would highlight the use of language as a tool of subjugation and disempowerment of migrants therefore articulate the need for a shift, Challenge hostile environment policy – take a critical focus on the actions of the government and Community engagement – consider migration issues within the local community of Leeds

Supporting families with no recourse to public fund training

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Migrant Action in partnership with Project 17 Charity (London) will be hosting a training course for people supporting families with no recourse to public funds.

This is the second time Migrant Action is hosting the training as the first session was extremely popular and take up was high.  

The session will run from 10.30-4pm at Oak House, Waxwing Room Park Lane, LS3 1EL, Leeds on Wednesday 13th March

26 participants attended at the last training, 24 rated it excellent and 2 rated it good. Comments included: really useful training; excellent facilitation; a great session allowing me to really improve my knowledge; one of the best trainings I’ve ever participated in.

This is a more advanced course for those who have attended Project 17’s supporting families with no recourse to public fund training, or for those who regularly make Section 17 referrals. The course focuses on getting the best outcomes for families requesting support from local authorities. It helps advisers prepare clients for assessments, anticipate refusals, and challenge negative decisions.

Learning outcomes include:
• An understanding of the current of future legal framework for local authority support
• The ability to prepare effective referrals for support
• The ability to anticipate reasons for refusing support
• The confidence to challenge refusals of support
• Knowing when to refer clients to community care solicitors

The course will cover:
• Overview of the legal framework
• Common reasons for refusing support
• Preparing effective referrals to minimise refusals
• Responding to refusals and failures to assess
• Accessing legal advice and representation

To book on the course please send requests to: info@migrantaction.org.uk

Migrant Rainbow – April 2025

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Our monthly summary of Migration Justice news

Local / Community Updates

Anti Raids Leeds are looking for volunteers to join their community outreach sessions educating the local community on how to resist immigration raids- head to their instagram bio @antiraidsleeds to sign up.

Leeds Refugee Forum are also looking for volunteers for their homework club to support children year 1-6 with English and Maths homework – no previous teaching experience required! @leedsrefugeeforum on Instagram for more!

In Leeds, the NHS trust has apologised to a woman with an active asylum claim, and cancelled over £10,000 of charges for maternity care after she was pursued by debt collectors. Many asylum seekers entitled to free NHS maternity care are being charged, as campaigners warn that migrant mothers and their children are at risk.

The issues with the exploitation of migrant care workers is prominent in Yorkshire, as an individual shares her story with the BBC about travelling from Zimbabwe to South Yorkshire for care work on a sponsored visa, and then being forced to work 16 hour days with no days off. She shared that she was unable to search elsewhere and had to ‘suffer in silence’ due to her visa being tied to her sponsoring employer.

Migrant Action Updates

Migrant Action has published a new analytical paper interrogating the rationale behind visa fees and their annual increases, in the wider context of immigration charging regimes. This was in response to the government’s recent visa fee increase which saw fees for the already precarious sponsorship scheme more than double. Click here to read it in our Migration Justice Library!

Spotlight on some client feedback from this month!!

General / National Updates

Migration and Labour Justice

The BBC have launched an investigation on ‘rogue recruitment agents’ who are scamming migrant workers, particularly carers, with fake jobs and Certificates of Sponsorship that cost individuals tens of thousands of pounds and then leave them with no work, no money, and a precarious immigration status once they have arrived in the UK. Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of Work Rights Centre says that ‘”The scale of exploitation under the Health and Care Work visa is significant’, and she thinks ‘it has turned into a national crisis’.

The government has released two reports – one being an evaluation of ‘the compliant’ environment during 2021-2023 covering six key restrictions affecting people without a legal migration status (work, housing, driving, banking, health, public funds) and the second relating to employer awareness of, and compliance with, Right to Work checks. Relatedly, free movement have published an up-to-date guide covering Right to Work checks for employers available on their website.

The latest visa data shows applications fell by over a third in the year ending March 2025, reflecting the restrictions faced by dependents of health and care workers and students, and the increase in the salary threshold for skilled workers. Reuters report that high visa charging are deterring overseas working, slowing down scientific research in an already understaffed sector.

InfoMigrants have shared a study outlining how how the UK is increasingly reliant on its migrant workforce – highlighting the transport, communications and health sectors in particular.

The Resolution Foundation has published a new briefing on their research into the precarious positions of ‘foreign-born workers’. The research finds that ‘foreign-born workers’ are disproportionately likely to be in precarious employment, such as temporary and zero-hours contracts and other positions in the ‘gig economy.’

Social Justice

Migrants Organise have published a report outlining highlighting how the crisis in legal aid is leaving people without quality legal advice and representation when they need it most, and opening up further possibility for exploitation of migrant individuals.

The Independent Monitoring Authority has launched a survey for EU nationals on life in the UK following the end of free movement

A campaigner’s legal challenge and freedom of information request has discovered that the Home Office spent at least £22,000 on legal fees to prevent publication of an internal Windrush report suggesting reasons behind the Windrush scandal are embedded in racist immigration legislation

136 organisations signed a collective statement calling on Keir Starmer to stop using anti-migration rhetoric following his remarks at the recent international people-smuggling summit.

Asylum

The Home Office will start processing asylum claims for people who had been earmarked for deportation to Rwanda. This announcement comes just before a court was due to hear JCWI’s legal challenge about the processing of asylum claims in the UK.

The government is being sued by at least 250 people who were detained at Manston asylum centre in 2022, due to breaches of their human rights. Several former Home Secretaries and Ministers have been named as people who may be called to give evidence – including Johnson and Sunak.

Immigration Policy

In an open letter, 40 Parliamentarians have called on ministers to introduce digital IDs as a way of ‘managing illegal immigration’ and ‘tackling off the books’ employment. The Immigrant Defence Project outlines the many risks of utilising Digital IDs – including the racially biased nature of increased digital surveillance

Yvette Cooper announced that government would review the application of human rights law to immigration cases, including using the right to family life as a basis for staying in the UK. The Attorney General has highlighted that misinformation is being ‘whipped up’ relating to how the right to family and private life has been applied.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is now in the Report Stage. Free movement outlines the amendments so far on their website – available on our Migration Justice Library. The Joint Committee on Human Rights is carrying out legislative scrutiny of the Bill to assess compatibility with international and domestic human rights.

Sources / Further Resources

Local Updates:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/13/asylum-seeker-billed-10000-for-nhs-maternity-care-could-only-afford-penny-a-month

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewgy52lgevo.amp

Migration and Labour Justice

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1en4dx7yn9o

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-compliant-environment-interim-report/evaluation-of-the-compliant-environment-interim-report

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-awareness-of-right-to-work-checks/employer-awareness-of-and-self-reported-compliance-with-right-to-work-checks

A guide to right to work checks

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-visa-applications-immigration-figures-b2731004.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/high-uk-visa-costs-deter-international-scientists-engineers-2025-04-15

https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/64041/uk-increasing-reliance-on-migrant-workforce

https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/2025/04/precariousprospects.pdf

Social Justice

New Report! Threadbare: the Quality of Legal Aid
IMA launches survey for EU citizens on life in the UK after Brexit

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/04/home-office-spent-22000-on-failed-attempt-to-stop-windrush-report-release

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/apr/07/rights-groups-starmer-anti-migrant-rhetoric

Asylum

https://jcwi.org.uk/updates/jcwi-legal-action-ends-limbo-for-people-once-targeted-by-rwanda-plan

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-claims-under-the-migration-and-economic-development-partnership/asylum-claims-under-the-migration-and-economic-development-partnership

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/07/people-held-at-uk-migrant-centre-sue-government-for-human-rights-breach

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd02ngnm58lo

Immigration Policy

https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Digital-IDs-FAQ.pdf

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/apr/08/labour-mps-launch-campaign-to-introduce-digital-ids

https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/63914/uk-parliamentarians-push-for-digital-id-to-track-and-manage-undocumented-migrants

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/30/yvette-cooper-reviews-right-to-family-life-for-people-who-enter-uk-irregularly

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/home-secretary-joint-committee-on-human-rights-european-convention-on-human-rights-lord-courts-b2726219.html

https://freemovement.org.uk/what-amendments-have-been-made-to-the-border-security-asylum-and-immigration-bill

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9005/border-security-asylum-and-immigration-bill/publications

UK Visas and Immigration Visa Fee Updates- What you need to know

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UKVI has confirmed increases to immigration fees that cover visa, sponsorship and nationality services. These changes aim to generate additional revenue for the Home Office and are effective from 9 April 2025. This resource breaks down the key changes and provides some supplementary resources

Visit Visas:

Short-term(up to 6 months): Increased from £115 to £127.

Long-term: Up to 2 years from £432 to £475; Up to 5 years from £771 to £848; Up to 10 years from £963 to £1,059.

Study Visas:

Student Visa (main applicant and dependents): Increased from £490 to £524.

Child Student Visa: From £490 to £524.

Short-term Student Visa (English language, 6-11 months): From £200 to £214.

Work Visas:

Innovator Founder Visa (main applicant and dependents): Increased from £1,486 to £1,590.

Start-up Visa (main applicant and dependents): From £584 to £625.

Skilled Worker Visas:

Entry clearance applications (for individuals applying outside the UK): Up to three years from £719 to £769; More than three years from £1420 to £1,519.

In-country applications (for applicants already in the UK): Up to three years from £827 to £885; More than three years: from £1636 to £1,751.

Nationality and Settlement Fees:

Naturalisation (British citizenship): Increased from £1,500 to £1,605

Nationality Registration as a British Citizen – Adult: From £1,351 to £1,446.

Indefinite Leave to Remain: £2,885 to £3,029

Passport Application Fees:

Standard Online Application (within the UK): Adults has increased from £88.50 to £94.50; Children from £57.50 to £61.50.

Postal Applications: Adults from £100 to £107; Children from £69 to £74.

Premium Service (1-day processing): Adults from £207.50 to £222; Children from £176.50 to £189.

ETA Fee: Increased from £10 to £16

Sponsorship Fees for Workers:

Employers sponsoring migrant workers will see higher costs:

The sponsor licence application increased from £1,476 to £1,579 for large organisations, and from £536 to £574 for small organisations.

The CoS fee for Skilled Workers and Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) will more than double, rising from £239 to £525

Supplementary Resources

Details of all visa fee changes

Migrants Rights Network’s explainer on the changes

Info on Migrant Voice’s campaign against visa fees

If you are affected by the changes and need support please contact us at info@migrant.action.org.uk

Statement of Changes to Immigration Rules – What you need to know

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On 12th March, the Home Office published a statement of changes to immigration rules (HC 733), which includes updates to several visa categories. These changes come into effect on 9th April 2025. This resource breaks down the changes.

Changes to the Skilled Worker Route

These changes have been implemented to provide greater protection to care workers. An increasing number of individuals on the Health and Social Care Route are reporting exploitation and abuse on the visa route, as well as many individuals becoming displaced after their sponsors have their license revoked due to such abuse.

Care workers who have been displaced due to their sponsor losing its license will no longer have their visa curtailed and be issued with a ‘60 day letter’, instead being able to access various support from a Regional Hub for displaced workers.

Sponsors are now required to recruit from workers who are already in the UK at these Regional Hubs before seeking to recruit new sponsors from other immigration routes or overseas. These changes relate only to care jobs with working locations entirely in England.

Find out about the regional hubs here

Changes are also being made to update the minimum salary from £23,200 per year (or £11.90 per hour) to £25,000 per year (or £12.82 per hour).

EU Settlement Scheme Changes

To enable a non-EEA national applicant to the EUSS to use a UK-issued biometric residence card or permit which has expired by up to 18 months as proof of their identity and nationality and, where they use such a biometric residence card, not require them to re-enrol their fingerprint biometrics.

To confirm that a person with a pending administrative review of an EUSS decision, who has not left the UK or has been granted entry into the UK (except on immigration bail), will not be removed from the UK.

To confirm that a person who became an EU, other EEA or Swiss citizen after the end of the transition period cannot sponsor an EUSS family permit application.

To enable an EUSS or EUSS family permit application to be refused on suitability grounds, without a deportation or exclusion order being in place, where the applicant’s conduct before the end of the transition period meets the relevant EU law public policy test applicable under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements.

To confirm that, under the EU law public policy test applicable under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements to suitability decisions based on the applicant’s conduct before the end of the transition period, the threshold of ‘serious grounds’ of public policy or public security is to be met where they have (or are eligible for) indefinite leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU and not under other parts of the Immigration Rules.

ETAs

Nationals from Trinidad and Tobago will now be required to obtain a visitor visa to visit the UK. Individuals will also need a Direct Airside Transit Visa if transiting through the UK, unless exempt. There is a 6 week transition period in place for this (until 23 April 2025) so that individuals with travel plans already in place and an existing ETA to travel to the UK without a visa.

British Nationals Overseas (BNOs) will no longer be required to obtain an ETA before travel to the UK.

Other Key Changes

Changes to Appendix Ukraine Permission Extension and Homes for Ukraine Schemes

Appendix Short-Term Study (English Language) – inclusion of a genuine intention to study requirement.

Updates to the Global Talent and Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes routes

Annual update of the Permit Free Festival (PFF) list for 2025

Update to the annual quotas of Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) partner countries for 2025

Changes to Appendix Child Student relating to Child Student safeguarding

Changes to Administrative review to remove “error correction grants” and amend Administrative review validity rules.

Changes regarding PhD students following supervisors to another institution

Details of these changes can be found in the Explanatory Memorandum

Supplementary Resources

Full Statement (HC 733)

Explanatory Memorandum

Information on regional hubs

Breakdown of the changes in the Right to Remain Toolkit

Tulia’s Blog regarding the changes for care workers

If you have any queries or are affected by the changes and need support, please contact us at info@migrant.action.org.uk

Transforming Period Poverty Towards Period & Reproductive Justice 

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Migration and reproductive justice intersect. Forced displacement, poverty and poor access to essential support for migrants underpin the exacerbation of period poverty and poor reproductive health outcomes.  Refugees, asylum seekers, and other individuals who have been forcibly displaced repeatedly experience limited access to sanitary and period products over the course of their migration journey, as well as unsafe spaces to attend to their menstrual health. Furthermore, research and casework by Migrant Action and many of our partners has consistently demonstrated the significant financial barriers for migrants that are in the UK. These barriers, which include immigration charging regimes; restrictions on the right to work for asylum seekers; and the exploitative certificate of sponsorship scheme, leave many individuals in a position of poverty, often with No Recourse to Public Funds and support from the State. Because sanitary products are not free or accessible in the UK, many migrants who are struggling financially are then unable to access these essential items and be able to attend to their menstrual health with dignity and autonomy.

The lack of access for period products and safe spaces to practice menstrual health is exacerbated by the culture of shame, stigmatisation and menstrual taboo which exists across many cultures and can impact how individuals who menstruate navigate their daily life and activities. For example, many individuals report that their ability to learn, work, exercise and generally be in public is hindered by their lack of access to period products and the shame that they carry. 

This multifaceted issue of reproductive and period justice and the ways it intersects with migration justice has been highlighted to us through our service delivery practices, and we have seen first-hand the challenges and hardships this is bringing to our community. Migrant Action is committed to being a dynamic organisation that can be consistently responsive to the needs of our community as they emerge, working collaboratively and in solidarity.

It is within this context of collaboration and solidarity that Migrant Action developed an impactful partnership partnered with ‘Bloody Good Period’ (charity) to support our community with access to period products, as well as a safe space for them to engage with and attend to their menstrual health. Bloody Good Period adopts an intersectional approach that not only provides practical support and essential items for menstrual health but works to de-stigmatize menstruation and provide menstrual health education to individuals that cannot access it. The research they produce connects the issue of period poverty with many other systems of injustice and works to dismantle period injustice for all.

Our service users in Barnsley who have been utilising our collaboration with Bloody Good Period have shared some feedback with us which has provided us with an insight into the impact of this new initiative:

We are grateful to have also been provided with feedback on how to make this initiative even more successful in supporting period justice within migrant communities. One suggestion is to introduce more discreet bags for individuals to take items home in which will help them to feel empowered even after leaving the safe space. Two other key suggestions were to expand our network and collaborations further to involve other organisations so that we can keep up with the high demand, and reach more ‘hard to reach groups’ groups; and for greater awareness and engagement of period poverty within schools to provide help for families with menstruating parents and children. This feedback reflects the multi-faceted issue of reproductive justice and demonstrates why simply period products alone is not enough to counter period inequality. Our client voice guides our approach and frameworks, and so Migrant Action and Bloody Good Period will be working together to respond to these suggestions and refine our initiative which is already having such a positive impact.

Thank you to Bloody Good Period for this collaboration and their work to achieve period justice FOR ALL.

Migrant Rainbow – March 2025

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Our monthly summary of migration justice news

Local / Community Updates

Four Windrush projects in Yorkshire and Humber are receiving funding under the Government Windrush Day Grant. The projects are: Cricket Arena CIC; Kirklees Local Television; MAPA Cultural Arts Centre; Prison Radio Association.

Yorkshire International Recruitment Hub is requesting views on how to strengthen support for migrant healthcare workers in our region – hoping to hear from organisations supporting individuals on Health and Social care Visas, and the individuals themselves. The survey is live until 4th April

People seeking asylum in Leeds have shared how the ban which prevents them from working is affecting their lives. One individual claims to feel like a ‘wasted resource’ who cannot contribute to our community, and many share the impact that this has on their wellbeing.

Saifullah Ahmadzai, who sought asylum in the UK nearly two years ago, has shared how a community bike project in Barnsley enabled him to build independence in the UK – emphasising the importance of community solidarity and the various ways that this can show.

Leeds City Council are welcoming feedback on their 2021-2025 Strategic Coordinated and Inclusive Approach to Migration, with a deadline on 14th April

Migrant Action Updates

Migrant Action is building a new grassroots Economic Justice Collaboration initiative aiming to build a new architecture for interrogating extractive exploitative economic regimes that are harming migrants, and working towards building alternative economies and migrant-led eco-systems for economic justice. This would enable migrants to re-imagine humane and liberatory economic futures where individuals are not ‘tools’ for extraction, but architects of their owns dreams for economic. Migrant Action will support migrant workers to build knowledge, capacity, leadership, and infrastructures for building new solidarity economies, wealth creation, and systemic advocacy for migration justice. If you are excited and want to know more about our migration economic justice vision or contribute to the project get in touch with us at Migrant Action – all are welcome and individuals who are affected are particularly encouraged to get involved.

Migrant Action has welcomed Nova to the Migrant Action team in a full time capacity, after 2 years as a volunteer! They will be carrying out communications and community engagement work in this role and we are grateful for this addition to the team and look forward to their contribution!

Client feedback spotlight

General / National Updates

Migration and Labour Justice – Care Workers

The Royal College of Nursing urged the government to accelerate its planned investigation into the exploitation of care workers, expressing concern at lack of government action about serious issues such as employers demanding large repayment fees if staff decide to leave.

Furthermore, the National Audit Office has published a report criticising the Home Office for failing to assess the potential impact of making it easier to recruit care workers from overseas. Their report states the department does not have a full understanding of how the Skilled Worker visa route is operating, and that they ‘cannot be confident it is achieving value for money’. This coincides with Anti-slavery commissioner Eleanor Lyons attributing the exploitation of care workers to the flawed design of the visa scheme – expressing the need for the government to go further to address exploitation.

On the 12th March, the Government launched a series of new immigration rules, including changes to the skilled worker route which will require employers to prioritise recruiting migrant care workers who are already in England before recruiting from overseas, which they claim ‘ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so and will help end the reliance on overseas recruitment as we restore order to our immigration system through our Plan for Change’. Tulia Group states that many issues and barriers to justice remain for individuals on the scheme despite the changes: including transportation barriers and issues specifically for men on these visas struggling to get work.

Economic and Labour Justice

The Government announced a general hike in visa fees set to come into effect on the 9th April – visas to study, work, and settle in the UK are all affected. The certificate of sponsorship fee is being raised by 120% – from from £239 to £525. This comes at a time when many migrants justice organisations have been sharing the financial difficulties faced by migrants due to these visa fees and the effect that this has on one’s physical and mental health. Migrant Action are working to formulate a response to this hostility and maintain resilience in our community.

A report from the Institute for Public Policy Research finds that 46% of children in the UK with at least one parent born outside the country are living in poverty. The report also highlights how many families who have No Recourse to Public Funds have restricted access to free childcare which prevents parents from working. This highlights just one of the inhumane barriers that the No Recourse to Public Funds policy perpetuates for migrants.

Employers in the UK have shared that the attempts by the government to reduce overall net migration, including the ban for care workers to bring dependents, has made it difficult for recruiters to hire the right staff. The Work Rights Centre warns that this increases the risk of exploitation for migrant workers in the fields of construction, hospitality, and care.

Data from ApplyBoard suggests that international students’ aspirations, as reflected by their field of study, align with the UK’s long-term workforce demands. Sheffield business owners have expressed their worries on the negative impact on the falling number of international students in the city upon their businesses.

Asylum

Migrants Rights Network has released research surrounding the issues of using AI in asylum decision making, focused on the perspectives of individuals in the system. Individuals expressed concern at AI’s ability to understand human emotions and how this may particularly impact neurodivergent people, the lack of transparency about how AI is used in the system, and the ability of AI to make errors which are unchecked and the impact this will carry.

The UK Government has hosted an ‘organised immigration crime summit’ with over 40 countries and organisations attending, emphasising the commitment to ‘securing borders’ and ‘tackling smuggling gangs’ . Whilst the establishment of safe routes for individuals who are seeking safety and asylum is still not being considered as a legitimate solution, the government has already introduced some new measures which will harm irregular migrants:

In an extension of the Hostile Environment, the government is expanding right-to-work checks to cover gig economy workers by making amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. Businesses that do not carry out the checks could be fined up to £60,000, or face closures and up to five years in prison. This is despite the Home Office’s own report which found that there is no evidence of “a long-term correlation between labour market access and destination choice”. Free movement says ‘These changes are therefore unlikely to have any impact on people coming over by small boat, but they will create more problems for those who are here lawfully and are approaching the expiry of their leave, or who are on section 3C leave.’

£30m of funding for the Border Security Command will be used to tackle supply chains, finance and trafficking routes across Europe, the Balkans, Asia and Africa. A further £3m is being given to the Crown Prosecution Service to increase its ability to deal with people-smuggling cases.

General

British Future research argues that the politics of immigration have not caught up with the reality, as immigration numbers are consistently falling- particularly work visas in the health and care sector and study visas including dependents- yet there is still a political push to get the lowest numbers of immigration, rather than acknowledgment of the contribution of migration to economic growth.

The Government has been pushing to increase deportations of Foreign National Offenders through a new ‘immigration crack squad’ as well as trying to review the application of Article 8 of the ECHR (the right to private and family life) to UK immigration cases, after many of these deportations are halted under this human rights basis. There has also been an amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration bill which allows Foreign National Offenders who cannot be deported under Article 8 to be subjected to electronic tagging and curfews. The Committee on Human Rights is conducting an inquiry to scrutinise the Bill- submissions needed by 11th April.

The government has also produced a series of guides in multiple languages to help ensure people receive reliable immigration advice. The guidebooks highlight risks posed by unregulated advisors and give details on how to report illegal activity.

EU visitors can now apply for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) needed for the travel to the UK from 2 April. Meanwhile, the government confirmed the plans to exempt BN(O) passport holders from ETA requirements, initially introduced to this group in January. From now on, all people with a biometric-chipped passport or national identity card can update all their UKVI details, including name and nationality, online.

Free Movement have released a resources on rules surrounding continuous residence for the EU Settlement Scheme- available in Migration Justice Library

Sources

Local Updates:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/windrush-day-grant-scheme-2025-projects-to-be-funded

https://www.migrationyorkshire.org.uk/news/migration-news-roundup-24-march-2025

https://surveys.leeds.gov.uk/s/YHIRTrainingSurvey

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3e45kw44xwo

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmjldxv8m8o

Leeds City Council Migration Strategy Review Survey Consultation

Migration and Labour Justice:

https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/news/uk-hundreds-more-migrant-care-workers-facing-exploitation-070325

Immigration: Skilled Worker visas

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/16/flawed-uk-visa-scheme-led-to-horrific-care-worker-abuse-says-watchdog

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-to-prioritise-recruiting-care-workers-in-england

https://www.tulia.org.uk/community-blog/addressing-persistent-obstacles-faced-by-health-and-care-worker-visa-holders-in-the-uk

Labour and Economic Justice:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table/home-office-immigration-and-nationality-fees-9-april-2025

https://www.ein.org.uk/news/nearly-half-children-uk-migrant-parents-live-poverty-new-research-ippr-finds

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/07/migrants-and-refugee-families-in-the-uk-denied-childcare-funding-report-finds

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy877l2j9p2o

https://www.workrightscentre.org/publications/2025/as-fewer-care-workers-immigrate-the-risk-of-migrant-exploitation-in-construction-and-hospitality-grows

International Student Aspirations Increasingly Align With The Skills Needed To Propel UK Growth, ApplyBoard’s Internal Data Shows

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3rnp2vd717o

Asylum

AI Under Watch

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-hosts-first-major-international-summit-to-tackle-illegal-migration

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/crackdown-on-illegal-working-and-rogue-employers-in-gig-economy

https://freemovement.org.uk/home-office-research-report-on-why-asylum-seekers-come-to-the-uk/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Mon+31+Mar+2025&utm_campaign=Free+Movement+Weekly+Newsletter+-+correct+version

General:

https://www.britishfuture.org/the-politics-of-immigration-lag-behind-the-reality-of-falling-numbers

https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/press/migration-statistics-show-dramatic-fall-in-visas-granted-in-2024

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-criminals-to-be-deported-quicker

https://www.ein.org.uk/news/home-secretary-confirms-review-article-8-immigration-cases-home-office-announces-right-work

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyd6121rqro

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/93/human-rights-joint-committee/news/205861/call-for-evidence-legislative-scrutiny-of-border-security-asylum-and-immigration-bill/#:~:text=The%20Joint%20Committee%20on%20Human,Security%2C%20Asylum%20and%20Immigration%20Bill.&text=The%20bill%20would%20make%20a,border%20security%20and%20immigration%20system.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-resources-to-help-access-reliable-immigration-advice?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=e1d62ee9-658d-48f0-94f5-47a4199c281f&utm_content=daily

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-extend-electronic-travel-to-european-visitors?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=0648b558-6df0-47d8-9a39-6154008a5d11&utm_content=daily

https://www.hongkongwatch.org/all-posts/2025/3/6/uk-home-office-commits-to-changing-eta-rules-for-bno-hong-kongers

https://www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details

https://freemovement.org.uk/how-does-absence-from-the-uk-work-under-the-eu-settlement-scheme

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