SPA Workshop: Immigration, Citizenship, and Social Policy in the UK

A one-day workshop on how immigration status shapes access to work, education, healthcare, housing, and safety. At a time of hardening borders, restrictions on settlement and citizenship, and contested entitlements, panels bring evidence into urgent debates on welfare, justice, and belonging in Scotland and beyond.

Agenda

9:30 AM - 9:45 AM - Welcome & Introduction (with coffee)
Overview of objectives and structure

Panel 1- Legislative Context

9:45 AM - 10:05 AM - "Overview of recent changes to immigration”  with Sarah Kyambi, Migration Policy Scotland

10:00 AM - 10:25 AM - "Anti Immigration Rallies and Politics of Welfare" with Talat Yaqoob, Independent Consultant and Researcher

10:25 AM - 10:45 AM - "EU nationals' experience post-Brexit" with Noelia Martinez, Citizens' Rights Project

Panel 2 - Work & Education | Focus: Employment, gig economy, student rights

11:00 AM - 11:20 AM - "The gig economy and migrant labour" with Karen Gregory

11:20 AM - 11:40 AM- "Work first, integrate later”: Refugees and infrastructural labour with Aidan Mosselson

11:40 AM - 12:00 PM - "Our Grades Not Visas campaign" with Gianluca Palombo

Panel 3: Access to Soc Protection|Focus: healthcare, housing, domestic

12:00 PM - 12:20 PM - "NRPF and social protections" with Beth Watts-Cobbe, Heriot-Watt University

12:20 PM - 12:40 PM - "Access to healthcare" with Josephine Brook, Edinburgh Law School

12:40 PM - 1:00 PM - "Migration and domestic violence" with Kaveri Qureshi, University of Edinburgh and Girijamba Polubothu, Shakti Women’s Aid

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM- Lunch Break

Panel 4: Destitution by Design| Focus: Education, detention, no public funds

2:00 PM - 2:20 PM - "Windrush and the "Hostile Environment" with Timothy Jacob Owens, University of Edinburgh

2:20 PM - 2:40 PM - "Detention, offshoring, and disruptions to rights" with Cetta Mainwaring

2:40 PM - 3:00 PM - "E-visas and refugee housing access" with Megan Smith, Shelter

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wrap-up & Discussion

Event Link

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