Geography Paper 2 - Global Migration

What is a refugee?

People who move out of a country due to fear of persecution or death

What is an asylum seeker?

A person who seeks entry to another country by claiming to be a refugee

What 6 topics does migration affect?

• Demographic

• Culture

• Economic

• Social

• Environmental

• Political

What is the equation for population change?

PC = (Births-Deaths) ± migration

What is a long term migrant?

Someone who moves for longer than a year

What is a short term migrant?

Someone who moves from 3 months to 1 year

Why are migration figures estimates?

• Due to undocumented and illegal immigration

What is net migration?

• The difference between immigration and emigration

• Can be positive or negative

What was UK net migration in 2014?

net gain of 318,000

What is immigration?

People moving into a country

What is emigration?

People moving out of a country

In 2013 how many UK born people lived abroad and why?

• 5.1 million

• Retirement

• Employment

• Family reuinifcation

What are INTER regional flows?

• From one region to another

• For example people from Asia going to Europe

• Often involves trafficking and is a major safety concern for border control and UN refugee agency

What are INTRA regional flows?

• From areas within the same region

• For example many Eastern Europeans often migrate west due to higher wages and most are working age

• 2013 660,000 Poles in UK

What are push factors?

Factors which are negative that happen making a person want to migrate

What are pull factors?

Advantages of a destination that attract migrants to the area

What 4 factors are obstacles to migration?

• Costs

• Physical barriers

• Climate factors

• Health

How do migrant remittances affect a country?

• Countries with higher GDP remittances are a lower proportion as they are more advanced and don’t rely on them as a source of economy

• Countries with a lower GDP remittances are often a higher proportion as they are less advanced and rely on them for the economy

• However low GDP places like sub-Saharan Africa receive low amounts remittances due to immigration policies and travel costs

How does global migration promote stability?

• Migrant remittances are a source of foreign exchange

• Returning migrants have new ideas and values that contribute to peacebuilding and conflict resolution

• Youthful migrants can contribute to a balanced age structure

How does global migration promote economic growth?

• GDP and tax can be boosted by migrants

• Migrants can stimulate economy and open up new business in gaps in the market

• Remittances can stimulate the multiplier effect

How does global migration promote development?

• Skills and knowledge can benefit country of origin

• Migrants create networks which eases the flow of skills and finance through diaspora

How does global migration cause inequality?

• Country of origin often loses young labour force

• Better educated people migrate for better pay and opportunity

• Changes in birth rate

• Migrant remittances can cause inequality between families

How does global migration cause conflicts?

• Social conflict between ‘newcomers’ of different ethnicity and culture

• Immigration populations can place pressure on services

• International borders are areas of conflict between border control, traffickers, illegal immigrants

How does global migration cause Injustice?

• Migrants are vulnerable to violations of human rights because of trafficking/forced labour

• Treatment of asylum seekers in detention centres and living conditions

• Refugees may find it hard to access medication, safety, food

Which two corridors of migration are most dominant?

• South to North

• South to South

What are two examples of INTER regional migration?

• Highly skilled workers from China, India to USA in maths science and technology attracted by quality of life and high salaries

• Workers from India, Pakistan to Saudi Arabia for oil production attracted by demand for labour, higher wages and ease of returning remittances

What are two examples of INTRA regional migration?

• Migrants from ASEAN states such as Laos, Myanmar to Thailand attracted by higher wages even though they are undocumented and higher socio-economic development

• Migrants within South America further south to Chile, Argentina for labour opportunities

How is a younger workforce affected by migration?

• Greater employment opportunities and higher wages

• Demand for workers in oil producing middle east

• High proportions in construction

• Most are low skilled and not educated beyond primary level

How are female migrants affected by migration?

• Recently women and girl migrants have increased

• 2013 52% migrants in developed countries were female

• Europe, Latin America has higher numbers of female migrants than males

Why is the South-South migration corridor popular?

• There are restrictive barriers from south north so south south is easier

• Fast growing southern economies mean migration is attractive

• High costs to go north

The Myanmar to Thailand corridor

• Largest ASEAN migrant corridor

• 1.9 mil migrants

• Myanmar is attracted due to economic growth of Thailand

• Minimum wage of 300 baht is 10 times Myanmar

Reasons for large numbers of refugees

• Conflict, safety

• Political persecution, violation of human rights

• Modern slavery

• Natural Hazards

How does the point based system work?

• Refugees can earn points based on how desirable their skills are for their labour shortages

What is bilateral migration?

Migration between 2 countries

Why is bilateral migration ideal?

• Costs of travel are lower due to proximity

• ease of access

• often similar languages due to colonial influence

• wage differences

• communities and networks may already be established by previous migrants

• migration policy may be kinder