What is the difference between a refugee, a migrant, an asylum seeker, and an ‘illegal immigrant’?

Oldham Council Leader Arooj Shah has confirmed that asylum seekers have arrived in Oldham to be temporarily housed.

But who are ‘asylum seekers’?  And what is the difference between a refugee, a migrant, an asylum seeker, and an ‘illegal immigrant’?

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Asylum Seeker

An asylum seeker has left their own country fearing persecution or harm.

This person would have applied for asylum on the grounds that returning to his or her country would lead to persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, or political beliefs. They haven't yet been legally recognised as a refugee and are waiting to receive a decision on their asylum claim.

Someone is an asylum seeker for as long as their application is pending. So not every asylum seeker will be recognised as a refugee, but every refugee is initially an asylum seeker.

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Refugee

Refugees are people fleeing armed conflicts or persecution. There were 19.5 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2014 according to UNHCR.

Their situation is often so perilous that they cross national borders to seek safety in nearby countries and become recognised as refugees with access to assistance from states and aid organisations.

A vital part of being recognised as a refugee is Refugee Status Determination (RSD), a legal process that governments or UNHCR use to determine whether a person seeking international protection is considered a refugee under international law.

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Migrant

A migrant is choosing to live in another country, not because of a direct threat or persecution at home, but primarily to improve their lives.

Usually this means finding work, seeking better education, or reuniting with family.

Unlike refugees who cannot safely return home, migrants can return home at any time if they wish. Each country has their own immigration laws and processes to manage migrants.

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Illegal immigrant

The use of the term ‘Illegal immigrant’ is often controversial but is usually applied to those who are Migrants (above) but have not followed the correct procedures laid out by the host country.

Illegal residence in another country creates the risk of detention or deportation.  Migrants remain ‘illegal’ until they are processed through the proper legal channels.

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How are locations chosen to house asylum seekers?

The Home Office provides accommodation to asylum seekers while applications are being considered.

The policy of dispersal of those seeking asylum accommodation in the UK was introduced by the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The intention is to distribute people across the country, so that no one area would be overburdened by the obligation of supporting asylum seekers.

As a rule, asylum seekers should be accommodated in areas where there is a 'greater supply of suitable and cheaper accommodation'.

There are three providers of accommodation for asylum seekers in the UK: Serco, Mears Group and Clearsprings. Serco manage accommodation for this area.

Contractors like Serco are required to consider a range of social cohesion, housing and community factors alongside cost when proposing properties to be used for dispersal accommodation for asylum seekers.

These factors are monitored by local authorities, who have the right to withdraw existing consent for specific properties to be used for asylum seeker accommodation or reject new proposals if there are any specific concerns.  However, local authorities are not directly involved in the allocation of temporary housing.

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