1. Refugees & Asylum Seekers in the UK 1 What do you know about this topic? What % of the world’s asylum seekers come to the UK? In 2007 there were 77 000 from 11 390 600 refugees world wide. That’s roughly 0.7 per 1000 people. Only a minority of these will be allowed to stay permanently.

2. Where are the refugees?

3. Objectives To understand key terms and facts about refugees and asylum To develop and understand different viewpoints about refugees.

4. Key Terms A Refugee - is a person with a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of; race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion who is outside the country of their nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail him/herself of the protection of that country. (1951 UN Convention on Refugees) Since 1967 it also includes people who have fled war or other violence in their home country. warviolencewarviolence

5. Asylum Seeker – A person attempting to gain entry to a country by claiming refugee status. This means that their life would be endangered if they remain in their own country. NB many asylum seekers are desperate economic migrants who cannot meet the migration criteria of the UK

6. Immigrant Pathways If an asylum seeker is granted leave to stay they become a refugee and are given a visa. If that visa is made permanent they can apply for UK citizenship. If they are refused leave to stay they are repatriated. If an asylum seeker who is refused leave ‘disappears’ they become an illegal immigrant and if discovered they will be deported. A refugee whose visa has expired will be repatriated, if they ‘disappear’ they also become an illegal immigrant. If discovered they too will be deported.

7. Repatriation The returning home of failed asylum seekers to their home country. Read the article on Zimbabwe and annotate issues that arise. Watch the video on Iraq and make notes

8. Stigma of refugees and asylum seekers... What views do people hold about refugees and asylum seekers. Look in BBC news forums type in ‘asylum seekers’ and search! Create a spider diagram on why there is a negative stigma about refugees and asylum seekers

9. Plenary Look at the spectrum sheet. Where do you stand? Homework:What is your view of refugees and asylum seekers? http://www.migrationwatchuk.com/ http://www.migrationwatchuk.com/ http://www.migrationwatchuk.com/ www.refugeecouncil.org.uk www.migrationwatch.org www.ercomer.org www.worldrefugee.com www.statistics.gov.uk