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This page was last updated on 24 November 2006
People come to the UK for many reasons: some because they are fleeing for their lives; some to do business; some to study and learn; and some to marry or join their families.
In this series of interviews, which are based on a selection originally published in the summer 2003 issue of the CRE's former magazine Connections, we hear from seven people who came to Britain at different times, and for different reasons.
George is a 40-year-old ICT teacher at a secondary school in London. He came to Britain from China in 1987 on a student visa.
Haddie is a 26-year-old 'illegal immigrant'. She came to the UK from Gambia in 1996.
Richard Grunberger, who died in 2005 at the age of 80, moved to Britain from Austria in 1938 as part of mass evacuation of Jewish children before the Second World War.
Jarek Kowalik, 24, from Poland, arrived in London in 2004 and is currently working as a kitchen porter and cleaner.
Karnvir Mundrey is a 27-year-old MSc finance student at the London School of Economics. He is applying to the highly-skilled migrants programme.
Halil Baloshi is a 22-year-old youth worker with Albanian Youth Action. He also works for Bexley Council with asylum seekers.
A 24-year-old fashion designer from Sweden, Ylva works in a fashion shop and sells her own designs at markets in London.