Red Cross Blogs

Separating fact and fiction: do you know the difference between refugees and asylum seekers?

By Felicity Pointer
June 22, 2011 at 5:24 pm

With so many myths surrounding refugees and asylum seekers we are trying to sort the fact from the fiction this Refugee Week. So, do you know the difference between a refugee and asylum seeker?

1. Match the description to the term below:

1. Economic migrant
2. Refused asylum seeker
3. Refugee
4. Asylum seeker

a. Has fled their homeland and submitted an asylum application to the authorities. While awaiting this decision has a legal right to stay in the country.
b. Has had their claim for asylum accepted by the government.
c. Has been denied protection from the authorities and been told to leave the country.
d. Has moved to another country to work and may or may not have a legal work permit.

2. We’re all familiar with the scare stories about asylum seekers ‘flooding’ into the UK. But how do these tales of mass invasion stand up against the facts?

How many of the world’s displaced come to the UK?

2. How much of total immigration numbers do asylum seekers account for in the UK?

3. How many asylum seekers are allowed to stay in the UK?

3: What countries do asylum seekers come from?

There are almost 40 million people throughout the world who have been displaced because of conflict and persecution. A very small number of people actually make it to the UK to apply for asylum.

Put the following countries in order by the number of refugees:

• Afganistan
• Iran
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Zimbabwe

Leave your answers in the comments or on our Facebook page.

The British Red Cross and refugees

The Red Cross has a long tradition of providing practical and emotional support to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

We help refugees adjust to life in the UK in a number of ways – from providing provisions for those facing severe hardship, to giving orientation support and friendly advice to those settling into a new, unfamiliar place.

Want to get involved?

Every year, our volunteers help thousands of vulnerable people – including unaccompanied children – adjust to life in a new country and access vital services. Could you help a stranger in a strange land?

Apply to volunteer

Donate to our refugee appeal

Answers can be found in our booklet, Refugees and asylum seekers: The truth behind the myths

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Tags: refugee services, Refugee Week, refugees

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