We asked our researchers to pick one of their publications from 2025 and share why it stands out for them. Here's what they replied!1) Let's start with the introduction to a Special Issue on "#RefugeeSponsorship & Complementary Pathways" edited by our refugee sponsorship research team (Jenny Phillimore, Marisol Reyes, Gabriella D'Avino, Natasha Nicholls). It's the... Continue Reading →
A new report has revealed major gaps in UK public understanding of irregular migration, which is shaped by political media narratives rather than facts. A new report published today (11 December), by researchers at the University of Birmingham, reveals widespread misconceptions among the UK public about irregular migration, which includes all unauthorised methods of entering... Continue Reading →
Guest blog by Isaac Brewer, postgraduate student at LSE studying International Migration and Public Policy, exploring the shifting role of migrant social networks in addressing labour shortages in post-Brexit Britain Immigrant social networks (particularly of EU-origin) have long helped employers in low-paying labour markets to fill vacancies. Since the post-Brexit immigration system was introduced in... Continue Reading →
After fourteen years of Conservative governments defined by the infamous hostile environment launched by Home Secretary Theresa May, a new Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, seems eager to build her political profile by weaponising the migration issue once again. The search for a new catchphrase may still be on, but the underlying message feels all too... Continue Reading →
Nando Sigona, University of Birmingham In her address to the Labour party conference, the new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, confirmed plans to overhaul the rules for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). These include increasing the time someone must live in the UK to be eligible for ILR from five years to ten. ILR is the... Continue Reading →
Reports document the lived experiences of migrant workers experiencing legal vulnerability in the UK’s food delivery and domestic work sectors A team of researchers at the University of Birmingham, led by Professor Nando Sigona, has released two new reports exposing how migrant workers experience exploitation and legal vulnerability in the UK’s food delivery and domestic... Continue Reading →
David Stark and Lisa Goodson, IRIS, University of Birmingham A policy turning inwards At the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity (IRIS), we examine migration and superdiversity through empirical research grounded in lived experience. We do this from Birmingham, one of the UK’s most ethnically diverse cities and a place where migration is... Continue Reading →
Nando Sigona, University of Birmingham The immigration debate has long shaped political agendas in the US and Europe, often escalating in times of social or economic uncertainty. In the US election, a tough-on-immigration stance from president-elect Donald Trump, including promises of mass deportations, appears to have resonated with voters. History shows that these policies may... Continue Reading →
By Seb Rumsby IOM World Migration Report 2024 found that international remittances had increased 650% from $128bn to $831bn between 2000 and 2022. This growth continued contrary to predictions that remittances would drop dramatically during COVID-19. Remittance figures now outnumbers foreign direct investment in developing nations for the first time, highlighting the critical importance of labour... Continue Reading →
New report titled "Humanitarian Visas in a Hostile Environment" offers first-hand insights into the experiences of individuals arriving in the UK through the Hong Kong BN(O) and Ukraine visa schemes and shows that ‘significant concerns persist’ around the restrictions faced by visa beneficiaries. Researchers from the University of Birmingham and Lancaster University, draw on qualitative... Continue Reading →
Conversations with Iris: Podcast on migration, diversity and displacement
The Age of Superdiversity 