Migrant Integration Framework: progress update

• We Launched our Migrant Integration Framework on 18 December 2023. This marked a major step forward in promoting the integration of migrants in Wales.
• A Migrant Integration Framework Manager was appointed in April 2024 to help implement the framework.
• In April 2024 an external implementation group was established to oversee and guide the framework's rollout.

The framework has been well received by stakeholders. These include local authorities, community groups, and advocacy organisations. This highlights a shared commitment to migrant integration in Wales.

Domain 1: Work

• Employment suitability: Data available quarterly/annually. Exploring inclusion of length of residence in analysis. Moving toward routine data publication.
• Job security and earnings: Current analysis focuses on contract type and earning above the living wage. Future updates aim to establish regular reporting.
• Income poverty: Plans to segment data by age group (children, working-age, pensioners) to refine insights.
• Job satisfaction and financial insecurity: Linking existing surveys (e.g. National Survey for Wales) to Census 2021 is being explored. Family Resources Survey variables under review for financial insecurity.

Domain 2: Housing

• Overcrowding and tenancy security: Current reliance on Census 2021. Alternative data sources (e.g. Family Resources Survey) under review.
• Homelessness: A new dataset with a migrant flag is being developed but will take 2 to 3 years for data to become available.
• Housing satisfaction: Efforts to enhance insights include linking National Survey for Wales with Census 2021.

Domain 3: Health and social care

• Health and well-being: Data from Census 2021 and Annual Population Survey forms the basis. A focus on improving update frequency.
• GP registration: Analysis being undertaken to identify migrants in Welsh GP records
• Healthy behaviours and mental well-being: Exploring alternative data sources, including Understanding Society datasets, to enhance migrant-related insights.
• Social care satisfaction. Future data improvements depend on a new dataset with a migrant flag, expected in 2 to 3 years.

Domain 4: Social connections

• Belonging and community cohesion: Linking Census 2021 to existing surveys remains a priority. Alternative data sources are under investigation.
• Cultural participation and volunteering: Efforts include using Census 2021 linkage to enhance understanding.
• Diverse friendships: No current data exists; stakeholder engagement could fill this gap.

Domain 5: Education and skills

• Language skills:. Census 2021 data provides a baseline. New sources needed for updates between censuses.
• GCSE attainment: Annual Population Survey under review for detailed analysis.
• Internet usage: Investigating Understanding Society datasets and linking to Census 2021 for enhanced insights.
• Tertiary education and qualifications: Fill gaps through analysing post-16 data collections and Annual Population Survey variables.

Domain 6: Safety and stability

• Criminal justice fairness, safety and hate crime: Crime Survey for England and Wales provides migrant-specific data. Discussions underway for routine publication of analyses.
• Local area satisfaction: Exploring linkages between National Survey for Wales and Census 2021 to improve insights.

Domain 7: Rights and responsibilities

• Voter registration: Data available for EU citizens; expanding scope and exploring other data sources.
• Advice service use and rights knowledge: Exploring linkages with Census 2021. Alternative data sources needed to improve rights knowledge indicators.

Challenges

• Data Gaps: Limited migrant-specific data across many indicators.
• Long-term Data Development Timelines: New datasets with migrant flags (e.g., social care, homelessness) need 2 to 3 years for availability.
• Fragmentation: Reliance on many datasets such as Census 2021 and Understanding Society. Coordinated data analysis across all sources will improve coverage and consistency.

Forward look

• Establish routine publication of migrant data analyses for consistent tracking of progress.
• Link existing surveys with Census 2021 to improve migrant-specific data availability.
• Explore migrant data availability in existing datasets. This will include Annual Population Survey, Family Resources Survey and Understanding Society
• Work with partners to share current migrant data collections. Work with partners to establish new migrant data collections. This will address critical data gaps, especially in social connections and rights awareness.