global migration

Migration

• The movement of people from one place to another, usually involving a change of residence.

Immigration

• Movement into a country.

Emigration

Movement outside a country

Net migration

• Immigration − emigration.

• POSTIVE - when people enter the country more then leave

• Negative- when people leave a country more then join

Migration

• A person who moves from their usual place of residence.

Refugee

• Someone forced to leave their country because of persecution, conflict or serious threats to their safety.

Asylum seeker

• Someone who has left their country and applied for protection in another country, but whose refugee status has not yet been determined.

Inter regional migration

Migration between different world regions.

Intra regional migration

Migration within the same world region.

Composition

It means the characteristics/types of people who make up the migrant flow.

For example, migrants can be:

• 👷 Workers — skilled or low-skilled

• 👩 Women — female migration

• 👨‍🎓 Students

• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family migrants

• 🧑‍🦽 Refugees/asylum seekers

• Young people or older people

Direction

WHERE people are moving

Migrant flows

the movement of migrants between places.

Migration corridors

A migration corridor is a route between a particular origin and destination.

Spatial patterns of migration

Major patterns include:

1. South → North

Movement from lower/middle-income countries towards higher-income countries.

Examples:

• Mexico → USA

• South Asia → UK

Push factors:

• Lower wages

• Unemployment

• Poverty

• Political instability

• Limited opportunities

Pull factors:

• Higher wages

• More employment

• Better education

• Better healthcare

• Political stability

• Existing migrant communities

2. South → South

Movement between lower/middle-income countries.

Examples:

• Myanmar → Thailand

• Nepal → India

This is extremely important because South–South migration is comparable in scale to South–North migration.

It challenges the idea that migration is simply a movement from poor countries to rich countries.

3. North → North

Migration between higher-income countries.

Examples:

• UK → Australia

• France → Germany

Often associated with:

• Highly skilled employment

• Education

• Lifestyle

• International businesses

• Professional opportunities

4. North → South

Movement from richer countries towards less economically developed countries.

Examples:

• UK → Spain

• USA → Mexico

• Europe → parts of Southeast Asia

Reasons can include:

• Retirement

• Lifestyle

• Employment

• Business

Investment

Inter-regional migration

Migration between different world regions.

Example:India to uk

Intra-regional migration

Migration within the same world region.

Example:Laos to Thailand

Composition of migrants

Migrants are not all the same.

They include:

Economic migrants

Move mainly for employment and better economic opportunities.

Skilled migrants

Doctors, engineers, IT workers, scientists etc.

Low-skilled migrants

Construction, agriculture, domestic work, hospitality etc.

Students

Move internationally for education.

Refugees

Forced to leave because of conflict or persecution.

Family migrants

Move to join relatives already living abroad.

Increasing female migration

Women make up a significant proportion of international migrants.

Female migrants may work in:

• Domestic care

• Nursing

• Healthcare

• Hospitality

• Manufacturing

This has contributed to the feminisation of migration.

Hdi human development index

HDI is a composite measure of development based on:

1. Life expectancy

2. Education

3. GNI per capita

Migrant remittances

Remittances = money sent by migrants back to people in their country of origin.

The relationship between patterns of international migration and socioeconomic development, using national indices such as 'value of migrant remittances' and 'Human Development Index'.

HDI is a composite measure of development based on:

1. Life expectancy

2. Education

3. GNI per capita

It ranges from approximately:

0 → very low development

to

1 → very high development

General relationship

Countries with high levels of development often:

• Attract migrants

• Have higher wages

• Have more employment opportunities

• Have greater political stability

Less-developed countries can:

• Lose workers through emigration

• Receive significant remittances

• Benefit from returning migrants and skills

However, the relationship is not simple or perfectly positive.

Migrant remittances

Example: A Bangladeshi worker in Qatar sends part of their wages to their family in Bangladesh.

Remittances can be used for:

• Food

• Housing

• Education

• Healthcare

• Businesses

• Farming

• Debt repayment

• Investment

Development benefits

Remittances can:

• Increase household incomes

• Reduce poverty

• Improve living standards

• Fund education

• Improve healthcare access

• Provide capital for businesses

• Increase foreign exchange earnings

But remittances can also create problems

Dependency

Families or communities may become dependent on money from overseas.

Inequality

Not everyone has the opportunity to migrate.

Therefore, households receiving remittances may become considerably better off than households that do not.

Brain drain

If highly skilled people leave, the source country can lose:

• Doctors

• Engineers

• Teachers

How migration promotes development throw flows of people money ideas technology

Flow of people

Migrants provide labour.

For example:

A country experiencing a shortage of nurses can recruit nurses internationally.

Migration → labour supply → economic production → economic growth

Flow of money

Remittances move money from destination countries to source countries.

Migration → remittances → household income → consumption/investment → development

Flow of ideas

Migrants can transfer:

• Knowledge

• Skills

• Cultural ideas

• Business practices

This is sometimes called social remittances.

Flow of technology

Migrants can transfer:

• Technical knowledge

• New technologies

• Business methods

• Professional expertise

Returning migrants can establish businesses using knowledge gained abroad.

How migration can create inequalities, conflict and injustice

Destination countries

Potential benefits

• More workers

• Filling labour shortages

• Increased tax revenue

• Greater cultural diversity

• Entrepreneurship

Potential problems

• Pressure on housing

• Pressure on public services

• Competition for some jobs

• Political tensions

• Integration difficulties

Source countries

Potential benefits

• Remittances

• Reduced unemployment

• Skills brought back by return migrants

• International networks

Potential problems

• Brain drain

• Loss of young workers

• Family separation

• Dependence on remittances

• Loss of investment in education if skilled workers leave

Changes in the 21st century have increased the complexity of global migration, including:

1. Economic globalisation

Globalisation has increased:

• International trade

• International investment

• Multinational companies

• International transport

• Communication

• Labour mobility

This has created new source areas and new destinations.

For example:

• Gulf states became major destinations for migrant labour.

• China has become an increasingly important economic destination.

• Southeast Asian economies have created new employment opportunities.

2. Concentration of young workers

Young adults are particularly likely to migrate because they:

• Are economically active

• Are more willing/able to relocate

• Are seeking employment

• Have fewer family commitments

• Can benefit from higher wages

This means migration can disproportionately involve working-age populations.

Impact on source countries

Potential loss of:

• Workers

• Taxpayers

• Young entrepreneurs

Impact on destination countries

Potential increase in:

• Labour supply

• Economic productivity

• Tax revenues

• Consumer demand

3. Increasing female migration

Women increasingly migrate independently rather than simply as dependants.

Common employment sectors:

• Domestic work

• Care work

• Nursing

• Hospitality

• Manufacturing

Why?

• Demand for care workers

• Ageing populations in richer countries

• Employment opportunities

• Globalisation of domestic labour

Problems

Female migrants may experience:

• Low wages

• Poor working conditions

• Exploitation

• Lack of legal protection

4. South–South migration

Migration is increasingly complex because people do not simply move from the Global South to the Global North.

There are major South–South corridors.

Examples:

Bangladesh → Gulf States

Zimbabwe → South Africa

Myanmar → Thailand

Why?

• Geographical proximity

• Lower migration costs

• Regional labour demand

• Existing migration networks

• Similar cultural connections

5. Conflict and persecution

Conflict has increased forced migration.

Examples:

• Syria

• Afghanistan

• Ukraine

• Sudan

People may leave because of:

• War

• Political persecution

• Violence

• Ethnic/religious persecution

• Threats to safety

This creates refugee flows that are fundamentally different from voluntary economic migration.

6. Changes in immigration and emigration policies

Governments influence migration through:

• Visas

• Border controls

• Work permits

• Refugee policies

• Deportation

• Citizenship rules

• Points-based systems

• Family reunification rules

Policies can increase migration

For example:

• Easier work visas

• Recruitment of skilled workers

Policies can reduce migration

For example:

• Stricter border controls

• Reduced visa availability

• Deportation policies

Therefore, migration is partly shaped by political decisions.

7. Bilateral migration corridors

A bilateral flow involves migration between two particular countries.

For example:

Mexico ↔ USA

India ↔ UAE

UK ↔ Australia

Once a corridor becomes established, it can become self-reinforcing.

Chain migration

1. First migrants move.

2. They establish communities.

3. They help relatives/friends migrate.

4. Migrant networks become established.

5. More people use the same corridor.

This creates interdependence between countries.