Lesson 9
Global Migration
How are changing migration patterns influencing Brazil?
Brazil is an EDC, and is the 7th largest economy in the world and the
leading economic power in Latin America. As an emerging economy, it
experienced a significant increase in GDP per capita from US$4874 in
2007 to US$5823 in 2014. The sectoral contribution to GDP is: services
69%, industry 25% and agriculture 6%. Brazil is moving rapidly through
the demographic transition with declining crude birth rate and ageing
population. Migration has contributed to the economic growth and
development of Brazil over a long period.
Current patterns of immigration and emigration:
Features of Brazil’s current migration patterns include:
- A net migration loss of half a million in each of the four year periods
2000-2004 and 2005-2009, but this slowed to 190,000 between
2010 and 2014.
- Increased migration between Brazil and its neighbouring countries
especially Mercosur members but also Chile and the Andean states.
- A slowing down of emigration of lower skilled economic migrants to
the USA
- Increased emigration of highly skilled workers to Europe, USA and
Japan
- As the skills levels of Brazilians increases, they are becoming more
geographically attracted to opportunities in ACs in Europe and the
USA and Japan
- Large Brazilian populations are found in the USA, Paraguay, Japan,
the UK, Portugal and Spain
- On average since the year 2000, 100,000 Brazilians have left the
country. 410,000 Brazilians lived in the USA although almost 25%
were there without authorisation
- Many European countries permit the children or grandchildren of
past immigrants to obtain passport making it relatively easy for
Brazilian descendants of European immigrants to enter, reside and
work in such countries and the EU by extension.
- More movement of migrants from poorer Latin America countries
like Haiti (fleeing their country for economic and humanitarian
reasons), Venezuela (asylum seekers fleeing economic and political
crisis) as well as African countries.
- An influx of migrants from Haiti and increasingly from African
countries using Ecuador and Chile as transit countries
- A rise in the number of international labour migrants attracted by
the construction industry for the 2014 football World Cup and the
2016 Olympics. In 2017, 736,00 immigrants lived in Brazil, the 3rd
largest foreign-born population in South America
, Lesson 9
Global Migration
- Strong and continuing internal migration especially from the
northeast to the cities of the southeast such as the bigger economic
powerhouses of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro
- Corridors into North America, Canada, Australia, Middle East (where
there are jobs available for construction, oil industry and are lower
taxes )and areas of Europe because of greater employment
opportunities, improved level of education, opens up opportunities if
they are educated at a higher levels and wages are higher.
Changes in immigration and emigration over time:
During the late 19th and 20th century, Brazil was a net recipient of
migrants. There were periods in which Europeans were attracted to work
in the agricultural sector especially coffee cultivation – particularly
Italians, Germans and Portuguese. Also Japanese migrants have long
been drawn towards agricultural and industrial sectors. Economic
migration between near neighbours Paraguay and Argentina has always
been relatively high. And political crises at various times have led to
migrations from Bolivia, Angola and Lebanon. Immigration into Brazil has
slowed in the last 15 years. There are 80,000 fewer immigrants living in
Brazil than at the start of the century. And during the same period
emigration has increased; in 2013, 1.77 million Brazilians lived abroad
compared with 0.98 million in 2000. The USA has Brazil’s largest
population overseas mainly for economic reasons. And many Brazilians of
Japanese descent having strong cultural links have emigrated to Japan
encouraged by the employment opportunities. Over the last ten years
humanitarian migration have become more pronounced. The crisis in
neighbouring Venezuela has fuelled migration across the border. Since
2014, Venezuelans have lodged over 20,000 asylum applications. Brazil
has struggled with the arrival and many refugees from Venezuela, with
border cities like Boa Vista struggling with strained services, as many
refugees have significant health concerns such as dehydration,
malnutrition and malaria.
Economic, political, social, and environmental interdependence
with countries connected to Brazil by migrant flows-
Brazil is increasingly interdependent with the countries between which it
has significant migration corridors.
Portugal:
Brazil and Portugal have a long- standing bilateral relationship on a
political, social and economic basis. Brazil was a former colony of Portugal
and today the Portuguese government still gives special status to Brazilian
migrants. For economic migrants, Portugal has become a gateway for
Global Migration
How are changing migration patterns influencing Brazil?
Brazil is an EDC, and is the 7th largest economy in the world and the
leading economic power in Latin America. As an emerging economy, it
experienced a significant increase in GDP per capita from US$4874 in
2007 to US$5823 in 2014. The sectoral contribution to GDP is: services
69%, industry 25% and agriculture 6%. Brazil is moving rapidly through
the demographic transition with declining crude birth rate and ageing
population. Migration has contributed to the economic growth and
development of Brazil over a long period.
Current patterns of immigration and emigration:
Features of Brazil’s current migration patterns include:
- A net migration loss of half a million in each of the four year periods
2000-2004 and 2005-2009, but this slowed to 190,000 between
2010 and 2014.
- Increased migration between Brazil and its neighbouring countries
especially Mercosur members but also Chile and the Andean states.
- A slowing down of emigration of lower skilled economic migrants to
the USA
- Increased emigration of highly skilled workers to Europe, USA and
Japan
- As the skills levels of Brazilians increases, they are becoming more
geographically attracted to opportunities in ACs in Europe and the
USA and Japan
- Large Brazilian populations are found in the USA, Paraguay, Japan,
the UK, Portugal and Spain
- On average since the year 2000, 100,000 Brazilians have left the
country. 410,000 Brazilians lived in the USA although almost 25%
were there without authorisation
- Many European countries permit the children or grandchildren of
past immigrants to obtain passport making it relatively easy for
Brazilian descendants of European immigrants to enter, reside and
work in such countries and the EU by extension.
- More movement of migrants from poorer Latin America countries
like Haiti (fleeing their country for economic and humanitarian
reasons), Venezuela (asylum seekers fleeing economic and political
crisis) as well as African countries.
- An influx of migrants from Haiti and increasingly from African
countries using Ecuador and Chile as transit countries
- A rise in the number of international labour migrants attracted by
the construction industry for the 2014 football World Cup and the
2016 Olympics. In 2017, 736,00 immigrants lived in Brazil, the 3rd
largest foreign-born population in South America
, Lesson 9
Global Migration
- Strong and continuing internal migration especially from the
northeast to the cities of the southeast such as the bigger economic
powerhouses of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro
- Corridors into North America, Canada, Australia, Middle East (where
there are jobs available for construction, oil industry and are lower
taxes )and areas of Europe because of greater employment
opportunities, improved level of education, opens up opportunities if
they are educated at a higher levels and wages are higher.
Changes in immigration and emigration over time:
During the late 19th and 20th century, Brazil was a net recipient of
migrants. There were periods in which Europeans were attracted to work
in the agricultural sector especially coffee cultivation – particularly
Italians, Germans and Portuguese. Also Japanese migrants have long
been drawn towards agricultural and industrial sectors. Economic
migration between near neighbours Paraguay and Argentina has always
been relatively high. And political crises at various times have led to
migrations from Bolivia, Angola and Lebanon. Immigration into Brazil has
slowed in the last 15 years. There are 80,000 fewer immigrants living in
Brazil than at the start of the century. And during the same period
emigration has increased; in 2013, 1.77 million Brazilians lived abroad
compared with 0.98 million in 2000. The USA has Brazil’s largest
population overseas mainly for economic reasons. And many Brazilians of
Japanese descent having strong cultural links have emigrated to Japan
encouraged by the employment opportunities. Over the last ten years
humanitarian migration have become more pronounced. The crisis in
neighbouring Venezuela has fuelled migration across the border. Since
2014, Venezuelans have lodged over 20,000 asylum applications. Brazil
has struggled with the arrival and many refugees from Venezuela, with
border cities like Boa Vista struggling with strained services, as many
refugees have significant health concerns such as dehydration,
malnutrition and malaria.
Economic, political, social, and environmental interdependence
with countries connected to Brazil by migrant flows-
Brazil is increasingly interdependent with the countries between which it
has significant migration corridors.
Portugal:
Brazil and Portugal have a long- standing bilateral relationship on a
political, social and economic basis. Brazil was a former colony of Portugal
and today the Portuguese government still gives special status to Brazilian
migrants. For economic migrants, Portugal has become a gateway for
