This article needs to be updated.(June 2015) |
Total population | |
---|---|
Colombian-born residents 25,761 (2011 Census) 39,000 (2020 ONS estimate) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
London (Lambeth, Islington, Southwark, Camden, Haringey) · Sunderland · Leeds · Newcastle | |
Languages | |
Colombian Spanish · British English | |
Religion | |
Predominantly Roman Catholicism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Colombian diaspora · Colombian people · Latin Americans in the United Kingdom · Spaniards in the United Kingdom ·Venezuelans in the United Kingdom • Brazilians in the United Kingdom · Peruvians in the United Kingdom •Panamians in the United Kingdom • Ecuadorians in the United Kingdom • Portuguese in the United Kingdom · Hispanic · Latino |
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Colombians in the United Kingdom or Colombian Britons (Spanish : Colombianos en el Reino Unido) include British citizens or residents who are of Colombian ancestry. According to the 2011 UK Census, the Colombian-born population of England was 25,016, Wales 166, [1] Scotland 507 [2] and Northern Ireland 72. [3]
Latin American migration to Europe has been growing rapidly since the mid-1960s. The first migrants consisted of Chilean and Argentine refugees, these were followed by Colombians and many other Latin American groups in the early 1970s. [4] Many Colombians came to work in the UK on visas mainly in the domestic services and catering industries. Colombians in the UK tend to originate from the country's urban areas such as Bogota, Cali, Medellin and Palmira, although some come from the smaller towns and countryside. There are roughly three stages of Colombian migration to the UK, [5] between 1975 and 1979 many came under the work permit system to take up jobs in low pay domestic services predominantly. Between 1980 and 1986 many relatives and families of the early settlers came to the UK, many of them soon became illegal immigrants due to themselves overstaying their visas. Another stage where significant numbers of asylum seekers came to the UK was between 1986 and 1997 when thousands came to the UK due to guerrilla and paramilitary violence in Colombia. [6] This is the period where the largest number of Colombians came to the UK, although significant numbers were still migrating in 2009 as the Colombian British population expands into its second generation. [7] Historically, the United Kingdom has, in fact, proven the most popular European destination for Colombian migrants despite the lack of historical links that are evident with Spain. [8] Spain alongside several other European nations has formerly been dubbed a "reservoir of migrant labour". [8] However, since the turn of the millennium, Spain has become a key destination within Europe for Colombian migrants and is now home to the large majority of the Colombian community in the European continent, with over 350,000 Colombian-born residents in Spain as of 2015. [9] Significantly smaller communities are present in the United Kingdom, France and Italy. [8]
The 2001 Census recorded 12,331 Colombian-born people living in the UK. [10] The 2011 Census recorded 25,016 Colombian-born residents in England, 166 in Wales, [1] 507 in Scotland, [2] and 72 in Northern Ireland. [3] The Office for National Statistics estimates that in 2020, 39,000 Colombian-born people were residing in the UK. [11]
According to one estimate, Colombians now make up the second largest sub-group of Latin American Britons behind Brazilian Britons, numbering up to 160,000. [12] An article published by the Migration Policy Institute estimates the Colombian population in the UK to be 90,000 as of 2003. [13] The overwhelming majority of Colombians in the UK live in London, although within the capital they are fairly well dispersed. Despite this, the largest numbers can be found in the boroughs of Lambeth, Islington, Southwark and Camden. [8] Outside of London, concentrations of Colombians can also be found in the Northern English cities of Sunderland, Leeds and Newcastle. [7] The vast majority are Roman Catholic.
Year | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | 185 [14] | 272 [15] | 296 [16] | 381 [17] | 375 [18] | 945 [19] | 1,000 [20] | 1,290 [21] | 1,500 [22] | 1,580 [23] | 1,845 [24] |
Applications for asylum from Colombians in the UK started to rise in 1996, peaked in 1997 and has been falling since then (with the exception of 1999 which saw a sharp increase). The sudden rise in asylum applications between 1996 and 1997 could have been linked to paramilitary and guerrilla violence in Colombia. Also the sharp drop in applications in 1998 could be associated with the introduction of visa restrictions. After the increase in 1999, the start of the 21st century has seen a more or less stable number of applications by Colombians for asylum. [7] The table below is a breakdown for applications received for asylum in the UK between 1993 and 2002. [7]
Year | 1993 [25] | 1994 [25] | 1995 [25] | 1996 [25] | 1997 [25] | 1998 [25] | 1999 [25] | 2000 [25] | 2001 [25] | 2002 [26] | 2003 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of applications | 380 | 405 | 525 | 1,005 | 1,330 | 425 | 1,000 | 505 | 360 | 420 | 220 |
Number recognised as refugees | 5 | 5 | <5 | 10 | 20 | 150 | 5 | 60 | 40 | 45 | 15 |
Number granted exceptional leave | 10 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 60 | 5 | 60 | 55 | 20 | 5 |
Number refused asylum | 80 | 390 | 210 | 365 | 380 | 810 | 155 | 1,755 | 660 | 415 | 315 |
Region wise, the regions with the most Colombian asylum seekers on support in 2001 were London, North East England and North West England respectively. [25]
Colombian culture and cultural activities in the UK are virtually non-existent compared to places such as Miami or New York City. [27] This is due to the United States having a much larger Colombian community, as well as stronger links between the two countries. The few Colombian events that occur across the country are music festivals (usually in the summer). Many popular Colombian artists and musicians come to the UK to play in these festivals. [7] The British capital, London is home to several Colombian clubs, restaurants and cafes [28] as well as many shops and independent businesses, there is also a significant presence of Colombian media in the UK, consisting mainly of a few newspapers and radio stations. A similarity between Colombia and the United Kingdom is that football is an extremely popular sport in both countries; this easily helps link communities and today many Colombians play in the Latin American leagues of London as well as for local teams. [7] Despite this, some of these activities are seen more as entrepreneurial than cultural activities. Besides Colombian football and music in the UK, the other aspect that contributes to the culture of Colombians in the UK is food. Sancocho is a traditional Colombian dish that has become popular in mainstream London and to an extent British culture. Colombian students who are studying in the UK often organise events that mainly involve debates and conferences about the situation back home in their native Colombia. [7] [29]
Country of birth | New immigrants employed | Settled immigrants employed | Average employed |
---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | N/A | N/A | 73.49% |
Brazil | 57.38% | 80.70% | 69.04% |
Canada | 82.76% | 78.12% | 80.44% |
Colombia | 49.96% | 66.48% | 58.22% |
Jamaica | 54.41% | 65.21% | 59.81% |
United States | 68.08% | 76.05% | 72.02% |
Many new Colombian immigrants including asylum seekers and refugees in the UK find finding work extremely difficult, it has become increasingly complicated over time to gain visas and working permits in the UK and there is also the likely chance of a claim for asylum being denied. Despite this, there are hundreds if not thousands of new Colombian immigrants to the UK per annum, with the vast majority of these having little knowledge of the English language at all. This makes it hard to gain access to public services and ultimately more complicated to get a job, language skills are extremely important, and if Spanish is the only language spoken by and individual, they are bound to be beaten to the post by a fluent or more conversational English speaker. As stated earlier many new immigrants work in minimum wage jobs such as in domestic service and catering industries. Lack of English skills is also a negative aspect for Colombians in the UK outside of the world of work, for example it may be hard to gain required information from local councils as well as legal advice. As a response to this many new Latin American set up groups have been founded in London to help Colombians and other Hispanics to improve their language skills and/or find work. [7] According to Institute for Public Policy Research findings, 49.96 per cent of new Colombian immigrants in Great Britain are employed, compared to 66.48 per cent of settled Colombian immigrants. [30]
Housing is often identified as one of the main problems facing new Colombian immigrants and asylum seekers to the UK. A study of the housing situation of these people carried out in 1995 highlighted the problems of homelessness and poor housing. The situation is worst for single people, but also affects families. No studies have yet been performed to determine the housing trends of settled Colombian immigrants and second generation British born people of Colombian descent. [31]
Many Colombians come to the UK as asylum seekers, and in certain circumstances it can be hard for them to integrate, especially since the lack of Colombian culture and influence in the UK can be all too obvious. [7] In June 2000, there were 118 Colombian nationals imprisoned in the UK (103 male and 15 female); [32] many of them are involved in the Colombian drug trade (the UK is one of the largest buyers of Colombian cocaine, millions of hectares of rainforest are being destroyed each year in Colombia to supply drug users in countries such as the UK.[ citation needed ] Drug mules are also a problem, with many Colombians risking their lives by transporting drugs inside of them to get into the UK [33] ). This is the largest number of foreign nationals in British prisons originating anywhere in the Americas, although in comparison to the number of certain[ clarification needed ] foreign nationals from Europe, Asia, Africa and elsewhere it is fairly small. [32] As the Colombian British population grows larger, so do the problems within the community; it is believed[ by whom? ] that the differences within the community are now more visible and unity is less evident. Many of these differences mirror situations in Colombia where differences in social class, political views and immigration status all contribute to an ever fragmenting community. The most obvious difference seems[ by whom? ] to be between those who immigrated between 1970 and the early 1990s when political persecution was more evident, whilst more recent immigrants (particularly asylum seekers) have had greater difficulty in proving their status as political refugees, partly down to the current complicated situation in Colombia. Out of a survey of several Colombians in London, the majority stated their frustration with the overall Colombian British community as when it comes to organising cultural events, attendance can often be very poor. The perception is that settled Colombian Brits are too busy working and to an extent lose their political awareness and interests of Colombian culture in the UK and at home in Colombia. [7]
Several Colombian immigrants to the UK as well as British born people of Colombian descent have gained notable success, some examples are listed here. Jorge Castano is a Cali born professional wrestler who has made a new life and career for himself in the UK, [34] Fernando Montano is the first Colombian to dance with the Royal Ballet and has been a member of the company since 2006, Phil Manzanera a musician and record producer who was the lead guitarist with Roxy Music was born in London to a Colombian mother and English father. [35] Colombian American journalist, Sonia Uribe studied in and now lives in London. [36] José Fernández Madrid was a former ambassador to the UK for Colombia who lived in the UK for a number of years where he subsequently died. [37] Dr Camila Devis-Rozental is a Colombian born award winner, author and academic living in the UK, she was included in the 2022 and 2023 Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list which recognises the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK. Another notable expatriate in the UK of Colombian origin is Australian actor Adam Garcia who has found fame in many US and British films. [38] In 2010 Miss Great Britain winner Tara Hoyos-Martínez of Colombian parentage became the first Latina to represent the country in the global Miss Universe pageant. [39]
Since 1945, immigration to the United Kingdom, controlled by British immigration law and to an extent by British nationality law, has been significant, in particular from the Republic of Ireland and from the former British Empire, especially India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Caribbean, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Hong Kong. Since the accession of the UK to the European Communities in the 1970s and the creation of the EU in the early 1990s, immigrants relocated from member states of the European Union, exercising one of the European Union's Four Freedoms. In 2021, since Brexit came into effect, previous EU citizenship's right to newly move to and reside in the UK on a permanent basis does not apply anymore. A smaller number have come as asylum seekers seeking protection as refugees under the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention.
A British Overseas citizen (BOC) is a holder of a residual class of British nationality, largely held by people connected with former British colonies who do not have close ties to the United Kingdom or its remaining overseas territories. Individuals with this form of nationality are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British citizens. BOCs are subject to immigration control when entering the United Kingdom and do not have the automatic right of abode there or in any British overseas territory.
A British Overseas Territories citizen (BOTC), formerly called British Dependent Territories citizen (BDTC), is a member of a class of British nationality granted to people connected with one or more of the British Overseas Territories.
Migration Watch UK is a British think-tank and campaign group which argues for lower immigration into the United Kingdom. Founded in 2001, the group believes that international migration places undue demand on limited resources and that the current level of immigration is not sustainable.
Somalis in the United Kingdom include British citizens and residents born in or with ancestors from Somalia. The United Kingdom (UK) is home to the largest Somali community in Europe, with an estimated 108,000 Somali-born immigrants residing in the UK in 2018 according to the Office for National Statistics. The majority of these live in England, with the largest number found in London. Smaller Somali communities exist in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Cardiff.
Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, from poorer to richer countries. Illegal residence in another country creates the risk of detention, deportation, and/or other sanctions.
British Nigerians have formed long-established communities in London, Liverpool and other industrial cities. Many Nigerians and their British-born descendants in Britain live in South London, and they are one of the larger immigrant groups in the country.
Filipinos in the United Kingdom are British citizens or immigrants who are of Filipino ancestry.
The Somali diaspora or Qurbajoogta refers to Somalis who were born in Greater Somalia and reside in areas of the world that they were not born in. The civil war in Somalia greatly increased the size of the Somali diaspora, as many Somalis moved from Greater Somalia primarily to Europe, North America, Southern Africa and Australia. There are also small Somali populations in other pockets of Europe and Asia. The UN estimates that in 2015, approximately 2 million people from Somalia were living outside of the country's borders.
Latin American migration to the United Kingdom dates back to the early 19th century. However, before the 1970s, when political and civil unrest became rife in many Latin American countries, the United Kingdom's Latin American community was not particularly large. Economic migration to the United Kingdom has since increased. Brazilian and Colombian-born residents are the two largest groups standing at 95,000 and 36,000 respectively as of 2019. A number of refugees and asylum seekers moved to the UK during the late 20th century, however, since the turn of the century, Latin Americans have been migrating to the UK for a wide range of reasons and at present the community consists of people from all walks of life. The UK is also home to British-born people of Latin American ancestry. During the 2008–2014 Spanish financial crisis, Britain also became one of the favourite European destinations for some of the roughly 1.4 million Latin Americans who had acquired Spanish citizenship.
Koreans in the United Kingdom include Korean-born migrants to the United Kingdom and their British-born descendants tracing ancestries from North Korea and South Korea.
Immigration to Europe has a long history, but increased substantially after World War II. Western European countries, especially, saw high growth in immigration post 1945, and many European nations today have sizeable immigrant populations, both of European and non-European origin. In contemporary globalization, migrations to Europe have accelerated in speed and scale. Over the last decades, there has been an increase in negative attitudes towards immigration, and many studies have emphasized marked differences in the strength of anti-immigrant attitudes among European countries.
Mexicans in the United Kingdom or Mexican Britons include Mexican-born immigrants to the United Kingdom and their British-born descendants. Although a large percentage of Mexican-born people in the UK are international students, many are also permanently settled and work in the UK as the community expands into its second generation.
Peruvians in the United Kingdom or Peruvian Britons are Peruvian immigrants to the United Kingdom, who form part of the larger Latin American community in the UK. In 2001, the number of Peruvian-born immigrants was the sixth largest amongst all Latin American immigrants to the UK.
Ecuadorians in the United Kingdom include people of Ecuadorian ancestry living in the United Kingdom, who have been born or raised in the UK. They can be either British citizens or non-citizen immigrants.
Barbadian British people, Bajan Brits or British Barbadians, are citizens or residents of the United Kingdom whose ethnic origins lie fully or partially in the Caribbean island of Barbados. The UK is home to the second largest Barbadian-born migrant population out of all the OECD countries, with the 2001 Census recording 21,601 UK residents born on the Caribbean island, compared to the 53,785 Barbadian-born residents of the United States.
British Afghans are British citizens and non-citizen residents born in or with ancestors from, Afghanistan, part of worldwide Afghan diaspora. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that there were 79,000 people born in Afghanistan living in the UK in 2019.
Algerians in the United Kingdom are residents of the UK with ancestry from Algeria. They include Algerian-born immigrants and their British-born descendants.
Sudanese in the United Kingdom including Sudanese-born immigrants to the UK and their British-born descendants are an extremely diverse national group, especially in terms of political and religious views. It is thought that the UK is home to the oldest Sudanese diaspora in the Western World, as well as one of the largest. Sudanese migrants to the UK have traditionally included professionals, business people and academics, and more recently have included asylum seekers fleeing Sudan's second civil war. Sudanese people live in many of the UK's largest cities and towns.
Although it is difficult to measure how many people reside in the UK without authorisation, a Home Office study based on Census 2001 data released in March 2005 estimated a population of between 310,000 and 570,000. The methods used to arrive at a figure are also much debated. Problems arise in particular from the very nature of the target population, which is hidden and mostly wants to remain so. The different definitions of 'illegality' adopted in the studies also pose a significant challenge to the comparability of the data. However, despite the methodological difficulties of estimating the number of people living in the UK without authorisation, the residual method has been widely adopted. This method subtracts the known number of authorised migrants from the total migrant population to arrive at a residual number which represents the de facto number of illegal migrants.