Home From Home - Northern Ireland Housing Executive

1. Background to the Research
1.1 Introduction
The Chinese community is the largest settled minority ethnic group in
Northern Ireland (approximately 8,000 people) 1 . Since the early 1960s,
Chinese people have been settling in Northern Ireland, mostly from Hong
Kong, but in recent years there have been significant numbers of new
immigrants from mainland China, including documented workers, students,
asylum seekers and illegal immigrants.
In Derry/Londonderry and surrounding areas, there are 32 registered Chinese
restaurants and takeaways. It is estimated that there are more than 1,000
Chinese people living in the North West of the province.
The settled Chinese population is into its second or even third generation.
They have been born and brought up in Northern Ireland, are generally well
integrated and work outside the Chinese community in different types of
employment.
The Chinese community has made significant economic and cultural
contributions to Northern Ireland. However, the majority of first generation
Chinese people (approximately 85%) do not speak English and consequently
have difficulty accessing public information and services. The language
difficulties also prevent many from integrating into the wider community,
which can lead to social isolation. Some 95% of first generation Chinese
people are engaged in the Chinese catering trade, working long and
unsociable hours. Racism is also a problem experienced by many
Chinese people.
1
www.cwa-ni.org
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