Complexity of global migration in the 21st century

economic globalisation leading the the emergence of new source areas and host destinations

• increasing number of countries and their economies becoming interdependent

• intensifying globalisation process

• major bilateral migration

Inter-regional example - highly skilled workers moving from China, India, Brazil to USA attracted by high-salary and quality of life. Migration to oil producing gulf states increase due to demands for labour, high wages, improved communication and transport

Intra-regional example - increased migration within ASEAN countries to fast-growing economies. Source countries are Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao PDR → Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia. Most migrants are low skilled, undocumented, and seeking higher wage employment

High concentration of young workers and female migrants

Young workers:

• main reason is greater employment opportunities

• male dominant migrants in Asia and largest group is age 25-39

• e.g. demand for workers in oil-producing countries of the middle-east

• migrant population increased by 5.4 million from 2000-2013

Female workers:

• increase in female migrants

• 52% of all migrants in developed countries were female in 2013

• can be accounted for by greater interdependence, status, freedom and increasing importance as main income earners

• large migration of highly skilled women

• main destinations are advanced countries with less discrimination in labour markets and respected women’s rights

Flows in south-south corridors

• SS flows - 36% vs. SN flows - 35% (2013)

• As global economies have become more interconnected, SS flows have increased significantly and are explained by labour migration

• 2/3 of migration remittances were sent between South countries

• another factor is the increase in refugees fleeing persecution or conflict

• 2.3 million migrated from Afghanistan to Pakistan

Main reasons for SS migration increase

• Restrictive migration policies of advanced countries in the North, redirecting migrants to the South

• number of fast-growing economies in the South offering employment opportunities

• increasing awareness and accessibility to opportunities through improved networks and communication

• prevents high costs of moving to more distant, richer countries

Myanmar → Thailand (SS migration example)

• Largest ASEAN migrant corridor

• involves 1.9 million migrants

• Thailand is SEA’s fastest growing economy

• Thailand needs to resolve labour shortages in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, domestic services, and fisheries

• Thailand introduced a minimum wage of B300 which is 10x Myanmar’s

• there are many refugees from the Myanmar government who are fleeing forced labour in development projects

Conflict and persecution

• number of refugees worldwide has increased from 15.7 million to 19.5 million (2012-2014)

• Syria had become the largest source of refugees (2015)

• 1.66 million asylum applications were submitted globally

• crisis in Syria has led to internal displacement of 7.6 million people and 4.7 million international refugees

• high percentage of people have moved to countries that border Syria

• Some refugees travelled to the EU either through boat or airplane

Main reasons for the large number of refugees globally

• effects of conflict causing damage to infrastructure, personal safety and access to services

• political persecution, discrimination, and violation to human rights

• economic hardships e.g. forced labour and modern slavery

• impacts of natural hazards

Changes in national immigration and emigration policies

• national migration policies are designed to meet the needs of a country

• e.g. some countries use a point based system to satisfy labour shortages in particular sectors

• some countries actively promote emigration in order to promote development through remittances and flows of skills and ideas

immigration policy example - Canada

• immigration policy was changed in 2015 to address skill gaps in the labour market

• policy is aimed at Canada’s long term requirements for quaternary sector workers

• migrants are ranked on a 1200 point system, enabling young, hgihly skilled migrants to be fast tracked

• Canada has agreed to take 10,000 refugees over a 3 year period

Main influences on bilateral corridors

• cost of travel - may be related to proximity

• ease of access and communication

• efficiency and cost of sending remittances

• employment opportunities

• established diaspora networks and communities

• effects of conflict and persecution

• migration policy

• former colonial influence