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2020
2021
Yorkshire and Humber has welcomed migrants for hundreds of years, contributing to a rich and diverse society.
Before the 21st Century, most new arrivals to Yorkshire and Humber were from beyond Europe. Significant groups include those who found sanctuary in Yorkshire and Humber such as Chileans, Ugandan Asians, Vietnamese, Sri Lankans and further back, Huguenots and refugees from WWII.
Others arrived from the Windrush generation who came to fill skills gaps in the post-war years, particularly from New Commonwealth countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Jamaica, often working in the textile industries. Subsequently they have welcomed family members to these settled communities, continuing the story of migration in our region from these parts of the world.
Significant laws affected this passage of people to come and live in Yorkshire. 2 key moments have been the UN 1951 Refugee Convention, and the UK's 1971 Immigration Act.
Events leading up to the year 2000 were significant - the fall of the Iron Curtain, breakup of the former Yugoslavia, the dawn of the technological age and cheaper travel all contributed to changing migration patterns at the turn of the century.
Yorkshire and Humber welcomes the first group of Kosovans in the UK as part of the evacuation scheme, arriving into Leeds Bradford Airport on 25 April 1999.
The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 creates the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) to disperse and provide support to asylum seekers - including to areas of Yorkshire and Humber where many support agencies and refugee community organisations develop over time.
First asylum seekers dispersed to Yorkshire and Humber, with initial accommodation centres, housing and support in local communities initially provided by local councils and the voluntary and community sector.
10 local councils form the 'Yorkshire and Humberside Consortium for Asylum Seekers and Refugees'.
Government creates stakeholder advisory group the National Refugee Integration Forum, later disbanded.
58 Chinese migrants are found suffocated in a lorry at Dover ferry port.
2001 Census shows 5% of Yorkshire and Humber population was born outside the UK. Three quarters of these were born outside the EU.
'Race' riots in Bradford as well as Oldham and Burnley lead to major reviews of cohesion across the UK.
9/11 attacks in the USA, with ramifications around the world including the US invasion of Afghanistan.
Labour wins the General Election for a second term.
Flooding in Mozambique kills 800 people.
The Sangatte camp closure in France leads to the creation of a special immigration status for people to come to the UK.
Peak in asylum claims in the UK, accompanied by relentless hostile media coverage.
The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 is significant for preventing asylum seekers from working and introducing Section 4 support for refused asylum seekers, amongst many other measures.
Civil unrest in Zimbabwe.
A volcanic eruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo displaces 400,000 people.
Yorkshire and Humber produces the first regional integration strategy for asylum seekers and refugees.
Global protests against the Iraq war including 1 million people in London in February 2003.
The Iraq war begins in March 2003.
The 'Family ILR exercise' is a one-off process to enable families with outstanding asylum cases submitted before 2000 to remain in the UK.
First Gateway Protection Programme in the UK starts in Sheffield, welcoming Liberian refugees.
EU expands to include 20 new countries with free movement rights granted in the UK and Ireland.
Facebook is created.
23 Chinese cockle-pickers drown in Morecambe Bay, leading to the Gangmasters Licensing Act.
Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Act 2004 establishes the 'local connection' principle for social housing, and Leeds is one of the pilot areas for the controversial 'Section 9' policy to withdraw support for refused families.
Prime Minister Tony Blair introduces the 'tipping point target', designed to enforce more returns of refused asylum seekers, and the Home Office begins to promote 'voluntary return' initiatives delivered over time by a number of organisations.
Poland becomes the top nationality for new arrivals in Yorkshire, remaining top for the next 11 years.
Manuel Bravo takes his own life in Yarl's Wood detention centre; the Manuel Bravo project is founded subsequently in Leeds to provide legal assistance to asylum seekers and refugees.
Ugandan-born John Sentamu becomes Arch Bishop of York.
7/7 attacks carried out by men from Yorkshire and Humber.
Labour wins General Election for a third term.
Government publishes 'Controlling our borders: making migration work for Britain' - a 5 year strategy that brings about a caseworker-based 'New Asylum Model', and 'Integration matters: a national strategy for refugee integration'.
Hurricane Katrina devastates parts of southern US including New Orleans.
Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, Section 4 support becomes more flexible, while integration loans replace grants.
The Legacy or Case Resolution programme is established to resolve backlog of outstanding asylum claims that were never concluded.
Home Office publishes 'A points based system: making migration work for Britain' strategy, which leads to a 5-tier framework for third country nationals coming to work or study in the UK.
The Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Empancipation is founded in Hull.
Hull welcomes a group of Congolese refugees under the Gateway Protection Programme.
Yorkshire and Humber Consortium for Asylum Seekers and Refugees becomes the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Migration Partnership (YHRMP) - and later Migration Yorkshire - reflecting changes in immigration patterns.
The Joseph Rowntree Inquiry into Destitution among Refused Asylum Seekers in Leeds publishes findings, with repeated surveys in 2008 and 2009.
Sheffield becomes the first City of Sanctuary in the UK - a movement that expands to many other cities, towns, schools and universities.
Gordon Brown becomes Prime Minister.
Migration Advisory Committee is established, alongside a short-lived Migration Impacts Forum.
UK Borders Act 2007 introduces biometric immigration documents.
Leeds hosts a hearing of the Independent Asylum Commission, an independent citizens' enquiry into the UK asylum system that runs from 2006-8.
Mauritania becomes the last country to criminalise slavery.
Bradford and Kirklees become Cities of Sanctuary.
Home Office-funded 'Refugee Integration and Employment Service' (RIES), begins in Yorkshire and Humber, coordinated by YHRMP and delivered locally by 6 partners including councils and voluntary sector agencies.
Bradford welcomes the first group of Rohingya refugees under the Gateway Protection Programme.
Global financial crisis begins.
Bulgaria and Romania join the EU. UK and all other countries impose transition restrictions to free movement.
'Finding Sanctuary, Enriching Yorkshire and Humber' refugee integration strategy published.
Government's 'Migration Impact Fund' begins, with projects in Yorkshire and Humber led by a range of councils, voluntary sector organisations and police forces.
UK enters recession.
The National Referral Mechanism for victims of modern slavery is created.
Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 is passed.
Many Zimbabwean asylum seekers' long-standing cases are reviewed by the Home Office.
The Azure payment card providing Section 4 support replaces voucher system.
Gurkha veterans are allowed to settle in Britain after a long campaign.
Projects in Yorkshire and Humber close as the Migration Impact Fund is abolished by the Government as a cost-saving measure.
Arab Spring begins.
Earthquake in Haiti kills 300,000 people.
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats form a coalition government. David Cameron becomes Prime Minister.
Austerity and localism policies begin.
Public Sector Equality Duty 2010.
Coalition policies include a net migration target of 100,000 and ending child detention.
Significant reforms reduce eligibility for free ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes.
Home Office Asylum Improvement Project speeds up processing of asylum applications and leads to a 6 month conclusion target.
2011 Census shows that 9% of the Yorkshire and Humber population was born outside the UK (two thirds of these were born outside the EU).
Migration Yorkshire leads Roma Source and Roma Matrix, large EU Roma projects delivered by a group of councils, voluntary sector and Roma community organisations across 10 EU member states.
RIES ended by the government after cuts the previous year.
The Syrian civil war begins.
Floods in Thailand impact 12 million people.
Japanese earthquake affects a nuclear power plant.
Legal aid reforms significantly reduce provision for non-asylum immigration cases and welfare applications for asylum support.
Government introduces new family returns process for refused asylum seeking families.
Iraqi interpreters are resettled in Yorkshire and Humber.
G4S takes over asylum seeker housing in Yorkshire and Humber, as part of the transition to COMPASS contracts. This moves away from provision delivered mainly by local councils and smaller private organisations.
Yorkshire and Humber hosts the lowest number of asylum seekers for a decade.
London hosts the 2012 Olympics. GB medal winners include refugee Mo Farah.
Yorkshire would have finished 12th in the Olympics medal table if it were an independent country.
Many English language colleges have their licenses to sponsor international students revoked.
COMPASS contracts replace 'one-stop' and wrap-around services, previously delivered by Refugee Council, with support from Migrant Help.
Policy restrictions on family joiners include a minimum income level for bringing spouses to the UK.
National Integration Strategy 'Creating the conditions for integration' is published.
Intense media interest in Sheffield’s migrant Roma population.
#WeAreInternational campaign is established by the University of Sheffield and its Students Union to celebrate international staff and students. It spreads to universities and organisations across the UK.
EU expansion includes Croatia.
Beginning of the 'hostile environment' measures aimed at undocumented migrants.
Home Office ‘Go Home’ vans tour areas of London with high immigrant populations.
A national Migration Museum project launches.
Bradford resettles first Syrian refugees in the UK under a small new resettlement programme.
Doncaster becomes a City of Sanctuary.
Immigration Act 2014.
Modern Slavery strategy is published.
Restrictions on migrants from Bulgaria and Romania is lifted.
ISIS declares itself a caliphate.
Barnsley, Bentham, Malhamdale and Ripon become Cities of Sanctuary.
Three councils in Yorkshire and Humber participate in relocation programmes for Afghan interpreters to the British Forces.
The first Syrian refugees under the new Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme are resettled into 5 Yorkshire and Humber Trailblazer areas: Calderdale, Hull, Kirklees, Leeds and Sheffield.
EU migrant crisis, also known as the refugee crisis.
Rising numbers of migrants in Calais.
Body of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi is washed up on Turkish beach, sparking media and public interest in the ‘migrant crisis’.
UK Government commits to resettle 20,000 Syrians.
Conservatives win the General Election.
Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox is murdered.
Calderdale, Harrogate, Skipton and York become Cities of Sanctuary.
Every Yorkshire and Humber council agrees to resettle Syrian refugees and work together on resettlement.
The first young refugees arrive in Yorkshire and Humber under the Dubs and Dublin III schemes.
Leeds resettles the first family in the UK arriving under the Vulnerable Children Resettlement Scheme.
Calais Jungle camp clearances.
Donald Trump wins US election.
US troops withdraw from Afghanistan.
Refugee team competes at the Olympics.
EU referendum.
Theresa May becomes UK Prime Minister.
Immigration Act 2016 introduces the ‘National Transfer Scheme’ to redistribute unaccompanied children from councils with high numbers of arrivals, and the Section 67 ‘Dubs amendment’ enabling unaccompanied children in Europe to come to the UK legally.
The Casey Review reports on cohesion, segregation and deprivation in the UK.
Romania becomes the top nationality for new arrivals in Yorkshire and Humber for the next 3 years, displacing Poland.
Hull and Greater Lincolnshire become Cities of Sanctuary and the University of Bradford becomes a University of Sanctuary.
The first MHCLG-funded ‘Controlling Migration Fund’ projects in Yorkshire and Humber begin, covering all council areas within 18 months. They include ‘Communities up Close’, a regional project researching local areas that have experienced change due to migration.
Connecting Opportunities begins, delivered by 9 voluntary sector organisations, providing support to marginalised and vulnerable migrants across the Leeds City Region.
Article 50 is triggered.
Conservatives win a snap General Election and form a minority government.
Windrush scandal begins to emerge.
The UN warns of the largest humanitarian crisis since WWII, with up to 20 million people at risk of starvation in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria.
Westminster Bridge and London Bridge attacks, and Manchester Arena bombing.
Welcoming Young Refugees project begins to recruit foster carers for unaccompanied asylum seeking children across Yorkshire and Humber.
Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officer (LAASLO) posts are funded by government across 4 councils in Yorkshire and Humber to provide move-on support to new refugees.
Universities of Hull and York St John become Universities of Sanctuary.
People attempting to cross the Channel in small boats become a significant immigration issue.
Sajid Javid, son of Pakistani migrants, becomes Home Secretary.
Some reversal of hostile environment policies follow from the Windrush scandal. ‘Hostile environment’ is renamed 'compliant environment'.
Immigration White Paper and Immigration Bill outline post-Brexit plans.
Integrated Communities Strategy green paper and consultation by MHCLG, includes a commitment to a national strategy for English language learning.
'Dubs leave' and ‘Calais leave’ are created for unaccompanied child refugees from Europe to ensure none are left without immigration status and access to support services.
Keighley and Wharfdale become Cities of Sanctuary.
Yorkshire Refugee Advisory Group speaks at global UNHCR resettlement conference in Geneva and Sheffield hosts major pre-planning meeting.
Refugee Integration Yorkshire and Humber launches, a regional refugee integration programme led by Migration Yorkshire with 5 partner councils.
Magid Magid, Somalian refugee and recent Lord Mayor of Sheffield, becomes MEP for Yorkshire and Humber.
First Yorkshire Integration Festival opened by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, from the Windrush generation.
Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister.
Children of refugees become Home Secretary and Immigration Minister.
Home Office removes targets to conclude asylum cases within 6 months.
Future refugee resettlement programme is announced.
Brexit dates and potential deals dominate politics.
Transition to new 10-year asylum contracts - housing (Mears Group) and support (Migrant Help).
EU Settlement Scheme rolled out nationally.
First Windrush Day is celebrated on 22 June.
The first hotels are used as asylum contingency accommodation in Yorkshire and Humber.
Two Migration Yorkshire opinion polls show public support in Yorkshire and Humber for welcoming and supporting new refugees.
The UK leaves the European Union, ending free movement and paving the way for the new points-based system.
Black Lives Matter protests take place worldwide following the murder of George Floyd in the USA.
The Hong Kong national security law is passed.
The use of asylum contingency accommodation continues to grow, attracting attention from far right groups.
The new points-based immigration system is implemented.
The visa route for Hong Kong British National (Overseas) passport holders opens along with the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme. Migration Yorkshire launches Hong Kong Hub to welcome and support new arrivals.
The UK meets its target of resettling 20,000 refugees from the Syrian conflict, including 2,532 in Yorkshire and Humber. The Vulnerable Persons and Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Schemes are closed, and the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) is launched.
The deadline to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme passes, with over 5.5 million estimated applicants, including around 300,000 in Yorkshire and Humber
Government publishes its New Plan for Immigration.
As the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates, the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy is launched for people who worked for the UK government. Operation Pitting evacuates people, ‘Operation Warm Welcome’ is launched to support Afghans in the UK, and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme is announced. 1,000 Afghans are resettled into Yorkshire and Humber between 2021 and 2023, and all councils in the region have pledged to resettle Afghans in 2023-2024.
70th anniversary of the Refugee Convention.
2021 census shows that 11% of the Yorkshire and Humber population was born outside the UK (two-thirds of these were born outside the EU). ‘Roma’ is introduced as a separate ethnic category.
Yorkshire Integration Festival takes place at Millennium Square in Leeds.
All councils are now required to care for unaccompanied children through the National Transfer Scheme.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Homes for Ukraine Scheme is launched. Migration Yorkshire launches Ukraine Hub to welcome and support new arrivals.
The government announces that all councils will now be required to participate in the asylum dispersal scheme.
Queen Elizabeth II dies and is succeeded by Charles III.
The Nationality and Borders Act is passed, and the government announces plans to relocate some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Liz Truss succeeds Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, replaced by Rishi Sunak within two months.
Suella Braverman becomes Home Secretary.
50 years since the mass expulsion of Asians from Uganda.
The Home Office introduces fast-track processes to speed up asylum claims from certain countries, to help tackle a claims backlog of over 135,000.
As conflict breaks out in Sudan, the UK evacuates over 2,000 people, mostly British nationals and their dependants.
75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush.
The Illegal Migration Act is passed.
Launch of Yorkshire and Humber Migrant Information Hub to provide resources to support people with migrant backgrounds during Covid times.
The start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the first UK lockdown. The asylum system stagnates as a result of lockdown and the 'Everyone In' scheme.
Visas are extended for people unable to leave the UK due to travel restrictions.
Opinion polls show the public recognises migrants are critical to delivering essential services.
Most migrant support services move online during the height of the pandemic, highlighting issues of digital exclusion.
Unprecedented consequences of COVID-19 on global migration trends (decline in visas, remittances and refugee resettlement, increased exploitation and forced displacement).
UN calls for COVID-19 vaccinations to urgently be made available for millions of refugees.
The City of Sanctuary movement continues to grow, with more places, councils, universities, colleges, Integrated Care Boards, and other groups forming.
There's a gradual shift towards a more positive attitude towards immigration amongst the public since the 2016 referendum.
Smugglers increasingly turn to the use of small boats to bring asylum seekers into the UK.
The government explores large scale options for accommodating people seeking asylum, such as ex-military sites and barges.
The future of migration to Yorkshire and Humber will be affected by post-Brexit immigration policy which is likely to be focussed on encouraging higher skilled people from around the world to come and live in the UK. We'll support EU nationals who are part of our communities and need to secure their status in the UK.
Yorkshire and Humber will continue to be a place of sanctuary. We will participate in hosting asylum seekers through the asylum dispersal system, care for unaccompanied children, and settle refugees. We'll try to smooth the transition to new asylum systems, and we'll sign up to settlement schemes. We'll support initiatives for people who have survived modern slavery.
Yorkshire and Humber will continue to welcome people from all over the world, whether they come for work, study, to join family or to find sanctuary. We will help them settle into their new lives here and we'll continue to celebrate out diverse and enriched communities.