AN organisation representing ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland last night said "the road ahead is unclear" for migrants living here following the EU referendum.
Patrick Yu from the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM) said it was "too early" to assess the impact the Brexit vote. However, he said he feared the loss of jobs for migrants who had moved to the north to live and work.
While Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU, the UK, as a whole, voted by a narrow margin to leave.
Migration and free movement were among the top questions in debates surrounding the UK's relationship with Europe.
Around 2,000 migrants arrive from the EU into Northern Ireland every year and the decision for the UK to leave has signalled fears for their future.
Outside of the EU, the UK could potentially adopt different immigration policies for those wanting to live here.
But Mr Yu last night said a cautious approach was needed in dealing with the impact on migrants living in the north.
"Many people think that it will be a chaotic experience, but that is not true," he said.
"I think it's too early to say what the impact will be, the road ahead is unclear.
"People need to remember that we are still being covered by the European Convention, we are still protected.
"I think the result was pretty clear, but there was no plan B from the Prime Minister or Number 10.
"We have to remember that there are two years before things will really start to change, until the impact may be felt."
However, Mr Yu said he recognised that migrants living in Northern Ireland may be fearful for their futures.
"I recognise there will be a lot of uncertainty for us. The only fear I see at the moment is the effect on jobs.
"People coming into Northern Ireland rely heavily on getting low-paid jobs and with the uncertainty over the economy, this is where I see we may experience some problems.
"Job losses as a result of this could see public services affected."
