Key Terms for Migration
Migration is the movement of people from one place to another. But immigration specifically refers to it being from one country to another. This is why the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.
Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes due to events outside of their control. They are typically fearing death or persecution and have found a new country that has accepted them.
Asylum seekers are people who are applying to become refugees and have not yet been accepted hence the word seeker.
Push & Pull Factors
- Push factors are things that are pushing you away from your home. These could be as extreme as famine or war. But also as simple as cold weather or lack of job opportunities.
- Pull factors are the positive things that are pulling you to your destination. Some examples of these include job opportunities, good welfare and benefits, and political freedom.
- The list of push and pull factors is endless because there are so many different personal reasons that are involved when someone migrates.
Where in the World Does Migration Occur?
The diagram shows that China is a huge outlier with only 0.07% of people born outside of China. Meanwhile, the Gulf has the most immigrants. The top 3 are UAE with a staggering 88%, followed by Qatar with 77% and Kuwait with 73%. To put that into perspective countries like the USA and the UK are 14 and 13% respectively.
Host Country Perspectives of Migration
Advantages:
Economic Growth
- One of the main ways migrants contribute to the host country’s economic growth is by providing a diverse and skilled workforce that can fill gaps in the labour market.
- They can also stimulate various industries and create their own business thus creating more employment.
- One of the best examples of migrant workers is in the Gulf such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, they both rely heavily on labourers for construction. In fact, in all 3 countries, the population is over 70% migrant workers, without them the country could not function.
- Migrant workers often take on necessary yet undesirable jobs that natives do not want. As we can see in this table they make up 36% of fishing and forestry which are two of the most dangerous occupations.
Reduce the Burden of Ageing Populations
- Ageing population is a huge problem all around the world and migration can be a key tool in helping control it.
- Bringing in more young people to work and pay taxes, reduces the burden of an ever-growing ageing population.
- It is a misconception that immigrants use up tax resources. In fact, they contribute more tax than they pay since their childhood education has been paid for and they are of working age. They also use fewer healthcare services which are heavily used by the elderly and young.
Cultural Enrichment
- Migration brings cultural diversity, contributing to a richer and more vibrant society with a mix of traditions, languages, and perspectives.
Skill Transfer
- Skilled migrants may bring new ideas, expertise, and skills, enhancing innovation and knowledge transfer within the host country. Many countries look for highly skilled workers to help develop industries.
- Example: In 2002 Gus Hiddink was appointed manager of South Korea with the goal of kick-starting them as a footballing nation. Since then China brought in a host of high-profile players and managers to kickstart their league and even more recently it has been Saudi Arabia’s turn.
- Bringing outsiders with expert knowledge can kick-start an industry and save decades of development time.
Disadvantages:
Social Strain
- Rapid migration can strain social services and infrastructure, leading to challenges in providing adequate housing, healthcare, and education for both migrants and the existing population.
Economic Competition
- Some segments of the host population may perceive migrants as competition for jobs, potentially leading to economic tensions and social conflicts. This is a common issue whether there are significant migrant populations.
- This is often not the case the vast majority of migrants fill gaps in the labour market that locals either are not skilled enough to do or are unwilling to do. Such as fruit pickers from Eastern Europe in England or construction workers from Nepal in Saudi Arabia.
Cultural Conflicts
- Differences in cultural norms and values may lead to cultural conflicts and social tensions within the host country.
- Migrant people tend to stick to their own and form their own communities for a variety of reasons such as language and shared experiences. This can then lead to resentment from locals.
- It can also lead to policing issues as people from other parts of the world have different culturally acceptable behaviours, especially in regard to women’s rights and homosexuality.
Crime
- An increase in immigration can lead to an increase in crime especially if it is refugees or illegal immigrants.
- Illegal immigrants often turn to gangs for help in the country and then once in get sucked into their criminal activities.
- Refugees may lack the skills and languages required to obtain work and therefore turn to crime. A recent economic analysis by the migration observatory at Oxford University found that a 1% increase in the asylum seeker share of the local population is associated with a 1.1% rise in property crime.
Home Country’s Perspective of Migration:
Advantages:
Remittances (money sent back to home nation)
- Migrants often send remittances back to their home country. Thus contributing to economic development and improving living standards for families left behind. This can make a huge difference to families, if one or both of the parents work abroad they can earn several times their incomes. This means they can save money for their children to have a better quality of life and education.
- The most reliant country is Tajikistan with a staggering 50.9% of its GDP coming from remittances. Without this income, these countries would likely struggle with far greater levels of poverty.
Skill Diversification
- Returning migrants may bring back valuable skills and experiences, contributing to the development of industries and sectors in their home country. For example, if someone lives in Spain for many years and then returns home speaking fluent Spanish they could have more opportunities.
Disadvantages:
Brain Drain
- Migration may result in a loss of skilled professionals, known as “brain drain,” which can hinder the home country’s development in certain sectors. Many countries struggle for medical professionals despite many being produced, as soon as they have the experience they then leave.
- It is most significant for highly skilled jobs because of the amount of time and money that goes into the person to educate them. If they then leave as soon as they are ready to contribute to the economy it can be very damaging.
Dependency on Remittances
- While remittances can be beneficial, a dependency on them may create vulnerability for the home country’s economy if migration patterns change.
- It can also lead to inequality as those families who have members working abroad can afford a better standard of living than those who work domestically.
Family
- It can also lead to inequality as those families who have members working abroad can afford a better standard of living than those who work domestically.
- Where there is large amounts of outward immigration it can put pressure on families as children grow up without parents. Grandparents are then forced to take on excessive responsibilities leading to social issues with children growing up.
Personal Perspective of Migration:
Advantages:
Better Opportunities
- To link back to the push and pull factors in the beginning. A big pull is the better opportunities that migration can provide individuals with. For example, better job opportunities, higher wages, and improved living standards.
Quality of Life
- Migrants may experience an overall improvement in their quality of life. Especially if they are moving from economically disadvantaged regions to more prosperous ones. This can take the form of better living conditions, hospitals and schools.
Disadvantages:
Social Challenges
- Migrants may face social challenges such as discrimination, xenophobia, and difficulties in integrating into the new society.
- Immigrants are less likely to report a crime when it happens which makes them more likely to be victims. It also means the official police statistics are likely to be inaccurate since many cases go unreported.
Cultural Adjustment
- Adapting to a new culture and environment can be challenging, leading to feelings of isolation and homesickness.
- Many immigrants do not stay in host countries for long.
- It can cause significant stress on families that are separated. Especially with children who may not understand that the separation is necessary.
