Refugee Onward Migration and the Changing Ethnic Geography of Scotland

Abstract

The 2011 Census showed that Scotland's population had increased and part of this increase is due to inward migration. Among the in-migrants, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of black and minority ethnic people living in Scotland, notably those with a 'black' ethnicity. So, the ethnic geography of Scotland is changing and this appears to be due in part to significant numbers of asylum seekers and refugees who have been housed in Glasgow in recent years. This paper reports on two research studies carried out with refugees to explore their decision-making processes and the reasons why many have opted to stay in Scotland. Among the important factors identified are education (with children settled in schools), the availability of housing, a sense of loyalty to cities like Glasgow for accepting them, and the absence of obvious onward destinations. Some onward migration has taken place, but the numbers who have chosen to remain have had an important effect on the ethnic make-up of the country. The paper seeks to extend our understanding of the long-term implications of refugee decision-making for Scotland's ethnic geography.

Moving on? Gender, education, and citizenship as key factors among short‐term onward migration planners

“…The available limited research on onward migration from European countries has so far mostly focused on the subpopulation of asylum seekers (Bang Nielsen, ; Stewart & Shaffer, ; Ahrens et al, ; Kelly & Hedman, ; Sim, ; Gerard, ). This is not surprising, because asylum seekers are particularly characterised by factors related to onward mobility.…”

From Asylum to Post‐Arrival Geographies: Syrian and Iraqi Refugees in Belgium

“…Pre-existing migrant spaces and networks of co-nationals could help to explain why recently arrived refugees concentrate in cities, settle in suburbs and leave the countryside (cf. Sim 2015). Precisely because of this, dispersal policies have often been criticised.…”

“…As a result, the share of Syrian refugees varies only moderately across municipalities (de Hoon 2017). In the United Kingdom, early dispersal policies have been said to have failed, as few refugees opted to settle permanently in dispersal sites, while many moved to Birmingham, Manchester, London and the wider South East of England (Stewart 2012; Sim 2015). Despite the growing numbers of refugees in non‐metropolitan settings (Wilding & Nunn 2018), post‐arrival geographies in the West are, thus, marked by a strong drive towards urban areas.…”

On the move again? Residential trajectories of refugees after obtaining asylum in the Netherlands

“…Migration to third countries is indeed common for EU citizens born in Somalia, Iran and Nigeria (Ahrens et al, 2016). These subsequent moves have been conceptualised in different ways, using terminologies as secondary migration , referring to the movement of refugees after third country resettlement (Weine et al, 2011) and intra‐EU movement or onward migration (Ahrens et al, 2016; Kelly, 2013; Sim, 2015; Stewart & Shaffer, 2015; van Liempt, 2011b). Following Schapendonk (2017), we employ the term onward mobility to cover both internal and international relocations of refugees in and from the Netherlands after dispersal.…”