Introduction

Here are two resources that provide some context to this issue.  The first links to a large number of reports on immigration, asylum and nationality from the Home Office; the second describes a survey of British research on immigrants and refugees.

Home Office Research Development Statistics on immigration, asylum and nationality

The Home Office Research Development Statistics branch have produced a large number of reports on immigration, asylum and nationality as part of their Social and Economic Research Publications series. This would be a very useful starting point for people interested in research in this area.

For access to a wide range of on-line reports in The Home Office Research Development Statistics on immigration, asylum and nationality see their Social and Economic Research Publications series. Details of just one report is given below as an exemplar of the material available.

• Dr Michael A. Shields and Dr Stephen Wheatley Price (2003) The labour market outcomes and psychological well-being of ethnic minority migrants in Britain, Home Office Online Report 07/03

This report examines the quantitative significance of these factors in influencing ethnic minority migrants’ access to employment and their participation in the labour force and in determining the psychological and psychosocial well-being of ethnic minority migrants living in England. In the study the term ethnic minority migrant refers to someone who was both born outside the United Kingdom (a migrant) and who self-reports their ethnicity as being other than White (a member of an ethnic minority). The following extracts are drawn from the executive summary of the report:

Migrants comprise a larger proportion of the population of Great Britain than ethnic minorities. Ethnic minority migrants constitute a minority of the migrant population. Of the groups investigated, Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants have the lowest levels of success in the labour market.

Chapter 3 outlines the theoretical background to our exploration of the employment and labour market participation of individuals, and in particular migrants. In particular, previous work has shown the explanatory power of migrant characteristics, such as country of birth, years since migration, the nature of qualification and language fluency, in similar empirical analyses.

Chapters 4 and 5 report the results of multivariate analyses, which quantify the factors that are crucial to ethnic minority migrants’ labour market outcomes. Several findings emerge:

• After allowing for factors likely to influence the likelihood of getting a job, such as educational qualifications, most male migrants are just as likely to be in employment and active in the labour market as the existing population
• All female ethnic minority migrants are less likely to be economically active, and hence employed, than females from the majority population, even after controlling for job-related characteristics
• Even after accounting for differences in job-related characteristics, across the various ethnic minority migrant groups, Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants appear to be less successful in the labour market. This may be due to a lower demand by employers for males, and a reduced willingness to engage in the labour market amongst females, from these migrant groups.
• Educational qualifications are critical to ethnic minority migrants’ labour market success.
• UK qualifications have an advantage over foreign qualifications at the same level.
• Recently arrived ethnic minority migrants have significantly reduced employment and participation rates.
• English language speaking fluency dramatically increases predicted employment rates.
• The labour market premium to fluency is greatest for those ethnic minority migrant groups with the least success in the labour market and the lowest fluency rates.
  

'Integration: mapping the field'

The 'Integration: mapping the field' exercise describes a survey of British research on immigrants and refugees. The six chapters which make up Part One by Castles et al. (2002)outline areas which have been researched and identify gaps in the research. The conclusion is that there is a lack of data in this field. Chapter 6 contains recommendations on strategies for a systematic, co-ordinated approach that will provide adequate evidence to inform future policy.

Part Two by Fyvie et al. (2003) provides an extensive bibliography, acting as a comprehensive reference to relevant publications, resources, organisations and websites.

Key points

• Integration is a two way process with adaptation required from the host society as well as migrants who have concerns around the issues of identity, belonging, recognition and self-respect.
• Political discussion can often assume integration means conformity to the values of the host society, which contradicts the ideal of multiculturalism where cultural identity is safeguarded.
  Terms such as inclusion or participation may be more useful than integration for policy formation
• Defining immigrants and refugees is problematic. Current terms do not reflect the diversity within communities. The legal definition of a refugee does not reflect current realities. Boundaries between economic migrants and refugees have become increasingly blurred
• The experience of immigrants in the labour market has been relatively well researched in relation to skilled migrants, but other areas such as the experience of refugees is under researched. Very little research being done into the integration of refugees in the UK
• Migrant women are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and more research is needed into the experience of women and girls
• Race relations has been a central concern in UK research. Its relevance to newer immigrants needs to be examined as this model may be a barrier to adaptive policy making.

References

• Castles, C., Korac, M., Vasta, E. and Vertovec, S. with the assistance of Katrin Hansing, Fiona Moore, Emma Newcombe, Lucy Rix,  Soojin Yu (2002) Integration: mapping the field. Volume I: Report of a Project carried out by the University of Oxford Centre for Migration and policy Research and Refugee Studies Centre, contracted by the Home Office Immigration Research and Statistics Service (IRSS), Home Office Online Report 28/03.
• Fyvie, C., Ager, A., Curley, G. and Korac, M. (2003) Integration: mapping the field. Volume II - distilling policy lessons from the "mapping the field" exercise, Home Office Online Report 29/03.