How many latvians in uk

The United Kingdom, a former European Union member state, is among the European countries with the highest rates of Covid infection. The largest overseas community of Latvian citizens currently lives in the United Kingdom, which, according to various estimates, consists of about , people. The online survey was conducted on the SurveyMonkey platform from December 6 to 19, using a targeting method offered by the social networking site Facebook.

The surveys were conducted in both Latvian and Russian, and people living in the United Kingdom who are Latvian citizens or feel a sense of belonging to Latvia were invited to participate.

In total, 1, respondents participated in the survey. Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor. In general terms the Latvian language is still a powerful link between Latvian migrants and Latvia and its cultural space. The issue of language skills is rather different when it comes to the children of emigrants.

For them assimilation is not merely possible, but almost certain. The survey shows that nearly one-third of respondents do not care whether their children speak Latvian. One finding is that the desire to teach the language to children so that they speak it freely is largely linked to the extent to which the parents have a sense of belonging to Latvia and its residents. There are also ethno-linguistic differences when it comes to this issue. It is far more important to ethnic Latvians to ensure that their children speak Latvian than it is to ethnic Russians from Latvia.

I had a Latvian friend from Boston who, for some reason or other, just detested Latvia. Everything for her was in English; she spoke to her son in English. You can teach the language to your child for free. I want to hear the Latvian language. That is my home, even though I am here.

Emigrants see Latvian culture not just as an important pillar for national identity or a link to Latvia, but also as a source of self-confidence and a positive identity that is occasionally involved in symbolic boundary-making. The same is true of ideas about the typical behaviour and work morality of Latvians, which emigrants mention as another positive element of Latvian identity and contrast themselves with British people in their vicinity, whom they critique on these grounds.

In truth, Latvians are very hard-working and capable, because they have language skills. A substantial proportion of respondents in the UK This is a very important or fairly important factor for This sentimental mood often appears in interviews, reminding us of the nation as a magnified version of the family.

Simultaneously, this mood usually does not conflict with a sense of belonging to the UK. When I am here [in Latvia], I feel that I have come home. I always want to go to Latvia very, very much. When you go home for a two week holiday, the two weeks are super. Overall, this analysis suggests that the ethno-cultural context of long distance belonging emanates from the will of a specific group of Latvian migrants to preserve the relevant markers of their national identity while not closing themselves off to the social arena and values of their country of residence.

Migrants in the UK often frame the strengthening of links with Latvian culture as an individual strategy, which may reduce the motivation to become involved in more organised and shared forms of ethno-cultural belonging. This individualised approach to Latvian culture enables a flexible balance between the solidarities of the UK and the national identity templates and affectivities inherited from Latvia.

Moreover, a close and ever clearer link to the Latvian cultural space does not indicate that emigrants are eager to return to Latvia or protect their cultural heritage. Instead, it indicates the desire to strengthen their diasporic identity after they have decided to stay abroad for a longer period of time. Arguably, diverse participation in ethno-cultural practices allows a noticeable part of the Latvian migrants to adapt more easily to life in the UK, and simultaneously it is also an indicator of successful adaptation.

Practices related to the ideological convictions and political participation of Latvian migrants establish a foundation for the political context of long distance belonging, which helps form the political identity of migrants as well as their ideas about the kin state as a political entity.

The overwhelming majority of the UK respondents Only 9. It is important to note that this critical attitude remains, irrespective of how long the respondent has lived in the UK, and that is an indication of the profound and fundamental nature of the dissatisfaction. Attitude towards the Latvian government. At the discourse level distrust of Latvian politics in general and in the government in particular makes emigrants who live in the UK similar to the majority of the kin state society. Many emigrants explain their negative attitude by making statements that are reflected in the Latvian media and in public opinion criticizing Latvian politicians.

The activity of voters in parliamentary elections registered in Great Britain and the number of voting precincts Source: The author, based on the information provided by the Central Election Commission of Latvia Respondents who feel a greater sense of belonging to Latvia and its residents were more active in voting in parliamentary elections.

Latvian and Russian respondents voted at more or less equal levels: Although emigrants who were not satisfied with life in the UK were more active in voting in Latvian parliamentary elections, this factor was unlikely to prompt higher electoral activity.

This is because, on average, there is a good level of satisfaction among emigrants with their living conditions in the UK. Political apathy was among the reasons given when respondents reflected as to why they felt no motivation to vote in elections. Underlying factors explaining the political behaviour of the emigrants could be an objective or conscious distancing from events in Latvia, possibly affected by the distrust and critical attitudes mentioned earlier.

In advance of parliamentary elections, there are often complaints that Latvian politicians do not do enough to mobilise voters who live abroad, and that is why turnout is so low. The Emigrant Communities of Latvia survey found that only 9. Similar thoughts were expressed in several interviews in which emigrants also said they felt political parties showed very low levels of interest in them.

At the same time, only Notably, those who wanted more political communication were twice as active in the election to the Saeima the national parliament of Latvia as those who did not.

Hence one may argue that even if Latvian party campaigns were more focused on emigrants, the highest participation would still be observed among the most politically active emigrants. Source: The author, based on the information provided by the Central Election Commission of Latvia Note: This table shows the results of those parties that actually won seats in the Saeima. Guess who I voted for? Why are they there?

Among the UK respondents who feel close links to Latvia, one most often encounters migrants who left the country to improve their standard of living This also indicates implicit dividing lines between moderate scepticism and fundamental pessimism with respect to the kin state, which helps better describe the contrasting electoral behaviour among Latvian migrants in the UK. It is also important to take ethno-linguistic factors into account in voter choices.

Latvians and Russian-speakers in the UK, as in Latvia, are likely to vote for different parties. Overall, there are two competing strategies of long distance belonging when it comes to voters in Great Britain: one is revolutionary, the other is evolutionary.

The former group wants cardinal changes to the political status quo , while the latter supports the existing political order even if critical of the governing political elite. There is a possible parallel to the types of political attitudes in relation to long distance nationalism defined by Glick-Schiller , pp.

The revolutionaries see the existing political order as kleptocracy and a rule of injustice that is detrimental to Latvia.

However, supporters of the revolutionary strategy are split on the ethno-linguistic basis. This conclusion is in line with previous research that has analysed political splits among immigrants and the relevant and different manifestations of long distance nationalism e. Something had to be done.

It would have been impermissible for us not to participate, allowing someone else to make the decision in our place. In London, we had to stand in a very long queue for several hours, and it was very cold.

There were emotions there, but for the most part people were very cosy, friendly and talkative. Another aspect of the political context of long distance belonging is the desire to maintain citizenship in the country of origin which has become a pivotal issue for many Latvian migrants after the Brexit vote. Especially, as Lulle et al. In interviews, Latvian emigrants said that the possibility of dual citizenship is another factor motivating them to apply for British citizenship after 5 years in Great Britain.

It is not possible to determine the true proportion of dual citizens and trends in this area, because Latvian and British government institutions do not collect such data.

Those in favour of dual citizenship mention factors such as social benefits in the country of residence, ease of travel, etc. Respondents also said that British citizenship would give them a greater sense of security when abroad. Some interviewees discussed obstacles that reduce their desire to apply for dual citizenship such as the relatively high cost and their insufficient English language skills.

Yet, it is expected that as the proportion of people from Latvia who have lived in Great Britain for more than 5 years increases in the near future, there will also be greater interest in dual citizenship. This suggests that in the foreseeable future, a definite transnational identity will emerge among Latvian migrants based on dual citizenship, which is particularly strong among the Latvian diaspora in the UK.

Moreover, a favourable socio-economic situation and personal achievements in the host country strengthen the transnational identity, i. Many respondents have apparently not yet developed sufficiently strong ties to their new country of residence and its society.

Interview data collected in also show that Latvians still feel like immigrants even after many years in the UK and notice the growing negative mood about immigrants in the British political and media discourse partly triggered by the then-upcoming Brexit vote.

Alongside the ethno-cultural and political contexts that establish or strengthen links between Latvian migrants in Great Britain and their kin state, there are also practices that make sense from a mere social perspective in the context of long distance belonging. These are practices and discourses that assign social importance to the country of origin, as opposed to ethno-cultural or political significance.

The availability of information is pivotal when it comes to Internet sites and other media that are the main source of information for Latvian migrants in Great Britain. Migrants who are regularly interested in things that are happening in Latvia most often use the largest Latvian Internet portals Delfi, Tvnet and social networking sites Facebook, Draugiem.

The traditional and specialised media are thus more like peripheral sources of information, which is important in the context of regional identities or lifestyles. That by no means suggests, however, that emigrants do not use the content of the traditional media, as presented on the Internet. Interviews with emigrants show that media usage habits are based on the desire to maintain links with the country of origin, as well as on ideological beliefs.

Respondents in the UK do not express high levels of support for the idea of establishing a television channel addressed specifically to the diaspora. According to The Emigrant Communities of Latvia survey, The Latvian diaspora media which creates content for a dispersed emigrant segment in Great Britain also intends to increase availability, as it is a prerequisite for the sustainability of these media.

For example, Anglo-Baltic News , one of the most visible Latvian press outlets published and distributed in the UK, admits that lack of proper IT solutions hamper its ambitions to be the largest and most prominent Latvian diaspora medium in Great Britain Lulle et al. Notably, regular mediated or direct interactions with a kin state in a broader perspective might strengthen the awareness of transnational identity.

Regardless of the regularity with which one travels to the kin state, the emigrants keep in close contact with family or friends in Latvia: In addition, This suggests that the transnational identity formation of Latvian emigrants oscillates between two ideal types, as proposed by Dahinden : localised diasporic transnationals and localised mobile transnationals.

While the former type is characterised by rather low physical mobility to Latvia but high anchorage in British everyday life, then the latter is based on high mobility but also high anchorage — both in the country of residence as well as in the country of origin. In line with these data though, the localised mobile transnational type remains more prominent among Latvian migrants.

A less common manifestation of the social context relates to charitable projects which Latvian emigrants in Great Britain have been using most actively in recent years. Kings and Lulle Kings et al. Philanthropic initiatives, however, are also seen in other socio-demographic groups, thus becoming a new social fact that describes Latvian migrants as a community.

The Emigrant Communities of Latvia survey data show that charitable ideas gain much engagement among migrants in the UK: Read the Latvian government advice on how to appeal a residency decision.

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Seek advice from the regulator if needed. If you are planning to study in Latvia, make sure you meet all visa requirements before you travel. But there's the distinction that a lot depends on the talks between Britain and the UK. For example, Spain has a question of who'll be paying for that after I don't know what will happen 20 to 30 years from now, but our current task is saving the EU," he said.

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