On International Migrants Day: Reflecting on Our Work With Communities in 2024

As we mark the International Migrants Day 2024 under the theme “Honouring the contributions of migrants and respecting their rights,” we are reminded of the resilience, solidarity and remarkable contributions of migrant communities to the societies worldwide over the past year. While systemic challenges persist, this year has also been a testament to the transformative power of collective action and the community-led initiatives in creating positive change. 

This year brought significant challenges and profound change. It began with cautious hope for the new year, tempered by apprehension over immigration policy shifts announced at the end of 2023. These included a sharp increase in the wage threshold for family visas and stricter regulations on work visas, including care worker visas. Although the change in government hinted a potential shift in tone, the enduring political rhetoric around "cracking down on illegal migration" continues to fuel hostility, culminating in the peak of anti-migrant racism during the far-right riots in late July and early August. 

Yet, amidst adversity, we stood strong. With a committed team, supportive alliances, and incredible power of communities, we maintained a welcoming and inclusive space. Throughout the year, we hosted online and in-person activities focused on community wellbeing, immigration and employment rights, while providing individual assistance to our communty members in need. We also published two toolkits to guide work with East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) communities, and contributed to a series of investigative reports highlighting the exploitation of migrant seasonal and care workers and hate crime against ESEA communities, calling for systemic change. Our advocacy extended to issues such as employment tribunal fees, the rights of Palestinians, and the Rwanda Act, while we raised awareness about voting rights, hate crimes, and domestic violence within our communities. In addition, we strengthened partnerships, including our new membership with the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), to build momentum for structural change.  

The core of SEEAC’s work is providing direct support services to our communities and service users through much needed individual assistance on challenges they face in relation to their employment, welfare, mental health, identity-based hate and discrimination. While this work carried out by our staff team on a day-to-day basis made significant impact on individual lives, here are some other highlights of our work this year: 

In March, we co-launched the report UK Agriculture and Care Visas: Worker Exploitation and Obstacles to Redress, in collaboration with leading universities and migrant and labor rights organisations. This report examines the vulnerabilities of workers under Seasonal Worker and care work visas and was later presented at a community-focused event, Research for and With the Community: The Health and Care and Seasonal Worker Visas. 

SEEAC contributed to Bearing Fruit: Making Recruitment Fairer for Migrant Workers, published in April, the first in a series of reports by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX). The series examines systemic risks of labor exploitation faced by UK seasonal workers, highlighting issues in recruitment, visa limitations, and working conditions. Other reports of this series are: Bound to work, Not here for the weather: Ensuring safe and fair conditions on the UK’s Seasonal Worker Scheme, and Making the Seasonal Worker Scheme safer and fairer: Recruitment, redress, and working conditions. 

In the same month, we joined a panel in Parliament to launch the report ESEA Communities’ Experience of Hate Crime in the UK. During the panel discussion, our Executive Director, Mariko Hayashi, emphasised the intersectionality of hate crimes targeting ESEA communities and the barriers these individuals face in seeking support. The report calls for victim-centred prevention strategies and investment in community-led initiatives. 

May marked the beginning of our monthly yoga sessions under the Community Hub Project. Led by Kim Beech from Piya Kata Yoga, these sessions guided participants through body movement, stretching and meditation. They further fostered mental retreat and community solidarity during a tumultuous period of immigration raids and political uncertainty. Participants found joy not only in yoga but also in shared Southeast Asian snacks, creating a warm and supportive atmosphere. This yoga series is part of our peer group support activities, complemented by other well-being therapies, such as art-based workshops.  

As we approached our fifth anniversary next year, we held a joint board and staff strategy planning workshop with generous support of Cranfield Trust in June. This session helped us reflect on our work and set priorities for the years ahead.  

In September, we released two toolkits: Engaging East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) Communities in Research and A Brief Guide for Supporting ESEA Migrant Communities in the UK. Developed in collaboration with ESEA Hub and City, University of London, these resources provide practical guidance for engaging and supporting ESEA communities. The launch event brought together community representatives to celebrate this milestone. 

In October, we participated in the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women’s 30th-anniversary celebration in Bangkok. At this event, we joined panel discussions on supporting survivors of human trafficking and protecting migrant workers in informal economies.  

An asylum-seeking information session was organised in November to help community members navigate the complex application process, with plans for additional sessions in the coming year. 

Additionally, we conducted employment rights clinics and workshops with migrant workers communities not only in London, but across the UK including several cities in West Midlands and Scotland to address labour rights issues and provide vital information to our communities. 

Coming to the end of the year, as the UK transitions to a digital immigration system, we collected stories from our community members about their experiences with the eVisa application process. These insights will shape our support efforts in the coming year. 

As we step into 2025, we remain committed to advocating for justice, fostering a sense of belonging, and amplifying the voices of those most impacted by harmful policies. We would like to thank our community, allies and supporters for standing with us in creating spaces where ESEA communities can thrive.  

Happy International Migrants Day and wishing you all a very Happy New Year!