Migration: Full Notes
1.a (Short Conclusion as not on advanced info)
Refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution,
or natural disaster.
Economic Migrant: a person who travels from one country or area to another in order to improve
their standard of living or job opportunities.
Immigration: the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country. In-movement.
Migration: The movement of people across a specified border to establish a new permanent
residency.
Asylum Seeker: A person who has left their country of origin and has formally applied for asylum in
another country but whose application has not yet been concluded.
Remittances: Money sent back to their family or friends in source country.
Emigration: Out-movement of people to another country or region.
2015- UN “3.3% of people living outside country of origin”.
2010 (222million) 2015(240million)- 18 million increase.
Globalisation?
What is globalisation: Globalisation is the process by which the world is becoming increasingly
interconnected as a result of massively increased trade and cultural exchange.
What does it have to do with migration?
Due to globalisation, the interconnectivity of the world has increased meaning there are record
levels of migration.
Currently, economic factors are the main reasons of migration however, conflict, political factors
and natural disasters all have a part to play.
Current trends:
US to South Asia
Movement between South Asia and Western Asia (Construction Boom)
To Gain work and money.
Interregional Migrant Flows: Movement between different regions. Eg. Middle East to Europe.
Intraregional Migrant Flows: Defined as movement between countries in a region. Eg. Poland to UK.
1.b In Depth.
A clear link exists between levels of migration and levels on development. In many instances,
migrant remittances represent an important part of the development process and are used to fund
improvements in health care, education and other key infrastructure. The example of Laos will
examine this point later. In other LIDCs such as Haiti, Gambia and Liberia, remittances make up
more than 20% of the country’s GDP.
Migration is increasingly becoming a factor in promoting stability, growth and development:
Stability: Remittances contribute to economic stability. Returning migrants bring back new ideas
and values including democracy and equality through networks which ease flows of skills and
financial resources also through diasporas.
Where there is an ageing population, youthful migrants contribute to a more stable population
structure, migrants also fill in gaps in the labour market (this is seen in 2021, with shortages in
labourers due to COVID-19 and Brexit).
Richer and Diverse Cultures.
£2.54Bn contributed to UK economy from Migrants alone.
Economic growth – GDP and tax base are boosted by economic migrants. Migrants are consumers
in host countries and stimulate local economies. Migrants fill gaps and shortages in the labour
market.
Remittances-
$413 Billion Dollars in remittances in 2013 from 180 million migrants
42% of Tajikistan’s GDP
, Development – Skills and knowledge acquired by returning migrants can bring development to a
country. Migrants can create networks to allow flows of skills, ideas and financial resources.
Stimulate local economies.
However, migration can also be responsible for causing inequalities, conflict and
injustice:
Inequalities – Countries of origin lose a proportion of their young, economically active workforce
which may cause a downward economic spiral. The brain drain may occur when well-educated
migrants leave a country.
Overcrowding.
Increases in health care and education costs.
Those who migrate may face unequal access to rights and social resources, including the right to
seek protection in cases of those fleeing conflict, violence and persecution.
Conflicts – Social conflict can occur between host communities and new-comers, particularly when
those migrants fail to integrate into the local culture (Xenophobia). Large concentrations of
immigrant communities can put additional pressure on local services, such as housing and
transport links.
Nationalism.
Why has migration become increasingly complex?
Reasons for Changes:
Cheap Air travel, Fast Remittances, Rise of TIGER economies (due to TNC investment), Cheap and
fast movement of labour; ASEAN (Free movement).
In the past, migration was often concentrated in a few bilateral corridors, frequently following
colonial and other historical links. Migration reflects changing economic trends, for example people
are no longer moving from the developing south to the more developed north anymore with flows
in south-south migration now more common. The flow of migrants from Myanmar to Thailand is the
largest ASEAN (The association of southeast Asian nations) migrant corridor. The UAE is the top
destination for Indian migrants with Indians working on long term building projects but have their
passports confiscated while they are on contract with the firms. 2.8 million Indians live in the UAE.
Economic factors – With an increasingly globalised world comes new countries or origin and new
destination countries. With this comes an increasing interdependence between countries and their
economies and a greater need for sharing of ideas and resources.
NEW ROUTE: Myanmar to Thailand
Factors Influencing Benefits on Source Benefits on Host
26% of Myanmar’s Remittances (5% of Myanmar Migrants
population live below their economy). resolve labour
the poverty line. shortages in Thailand.
Thailand is the largest Thailand forms now
recipient of labour one of Asia’s TIGER
from Myanmar due to economies and is
its 1300-mile border southeast Asia’s
they share. fastest growing
economy.
Thailand has a legal
minimum wage of 300
Baht ($9), 10x
Myanmar’s.
Myanmar is
experiencing a rise in
labour migration.
NEW ROUTE: India to UAE
Factors Influencing Benefits on Source Benefits on Host
Dubai is one of the fastest Remittances. Indians are key to the UAE's
1.a (Short Conclusion as not on advanced info)
Refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution,
or natural disaster.
Economic Migrant: a person who travels from one country or area to another in order to improve
their standard of living or job opportunities.
Immigration: the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country. In-movement.
Migration: The movement of people across a specified border to establish a new permanent
residency.
Asylum Seeker: A person who has left their country of origin and has formally applied for asylum in
another country but whose application has not yet been concluded.
Remittances: Money sent back to their family or friends in source country.
Emigration: Out-movement of people to another country or region.
2015- UN “3.3% of people living outside country of origin”.
2010 (222million) 2015(240million)- 18 million increase.
Globalisation?
What is globalisation: Globalisation is the process by which the world is becoming increasingly
interconnected as a result of massively increased trade and cultural exchange.
What does it have to do with migration?
Due to globalisation, the interconnectivity of the world has increased meaning there are record
levels of migration.
Currently, economic factors are the main reasons of migration however, conflict, political factors
and natural disasters all have a part to play.
Current trends:
US to South Asia
Movement between South Asia and Western Asia (Construction Boom)
To Gain work and money.
Interregional Migrant Flows: Movement between different regions. Eg. Middle East to Europe.
Intraregional Migrant Flows: Defined as movement between countries in a region. Eg. Poland to UK.
1.b In Depth.
A clear link exists between levels of migration and levels on development. In many instances,
migrant remittances represent an important part of the development process and are used to fund
improvements in health care, education and other key infrastructure. The example of Laos will
examine this point later. In other LIDCs such as Haiti, Gambia and Liberia, remittances make up
more than 20% of the country’s GDP.
Migration is increasingly becoming a factor in promoting stability, growth and development:
Stability: Remittances contribute to economic stability. Returning migrants bring back new ideas
and values including democracy and equality through networks which ease flows of skills and
financial resources also through diasporas.
Where there is an ageing population, youthful migrants contribute to a more stable population
structure, migrants also fill in gaps in the labour market (this is seen in 2021, with shortages in
labourers due to COVID-19 and Brexit).
Richer and Diverse Cultures.
£2.54Bn contributed to UK economy from Migrants alone.
Economic growth – GDP and tax base are boosted by economic migrants. Migrants are consumers
in host countries and stimulate local economies. Migrants fill gaps and shortages in the labour
market.
Remittances-
$413 Billion Dollars in remittances in 2013 from 180 million migrants
42% of Tajikistan’s GDP
, Development – Skills and knowledge acquired by returning migrants can bring development to a
country. Migrants can create networks to allow flows of skills, ideas and financial resources.
Stimulate local economies.
However, migration can also be responsible for causing inequalities, conflict and
injustice:
Inequalities – Countries of origin lose a proportion of their young, economically active workforce
which may cause a downward economic spiral. The brain drain may occur when well-educated
migrants leave a country.
Overcrowding.
Increases in health care and education costs.
Those who migrate may face unequal access to rights and social resources, including the right to
seek protection in cases of those fleeing conflict, violence and persecution.
Conflicts – Social conflict can occur between host communities and new-comers, particularly when
those migrants fail to integrate into the local culture (Xenophobia). Large concentrations of
immigrant communities can put additional pressure on local services, such as housing and
transport links.
Nationalism.
Why has migration become increasingly complex?
Reasons for Changes:
Cheap Air travel, Fast Remittances, Rise of TIGER economies (due to TNC investment), Cheap and
fast movement of labour; ASEAN (Free movement).
In the past, migration was often concentrated in a few bilateral corridors, frequently following
colonial and other historical links. Migration reflects changing economic trends, for example people
are no longer moving from the developing south to the more developed north anymore with flows
in south-south migration now more common. The flow of migrants from Myanmar to Thailand is the
largest ASEAN (The association of southeast Asian nations) migrant corridor. The UAE is the top
destination for Indian migrants with Indians working on long term building projects but have their
passports confiscated while they are on contract with the firms. 2.8 million Indians live in the UAE.
Economic factors – With an increasingly globalised world comes new countries or origin and new
destination countries. With this comes an increasing interdependence between countries and their
economies and a greater need for sharing of ideas and resources.
NEW ROUTE: Myanmar to Thailand
Factors Influencing Benefits on Source Benefits on Host
26% of Myanmar’s Remittances (5% of Myanmar Migrants
population live below their economy). resolve labour
the poverty line. shortages in Thailand.
Thailand is the largest Thailand forms now
recipient of labour one of Asia’s TIGER
from Myanmar due to economies and is
its 1300-mile border southeast Asia’s
they share. fastest growing
economy.
Thailand has a legal
minimum wage of 300
Baht ($9), 10x
Myanmar’s.
Myanmar is
experiencing a rise in
labour migration.
NEW ROUTE: India to UAE
Factors Influencing Benefits on Source Benefits on Host
Dubai is one of the fastest Remittances. Indians are key to the UAE's
