Intro to Migration

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Migration and Globalisation

Globalisation has caused extremely significant changes in the global economic system. It has led to an increase in migration, both within countries and between countries. Some key terms are:

Migration

Migration involves a permanent or semi-permanent change of residence.
Internal migration takes place within the same country e.g. rural to urban migration.
International migration takes place between countries, for a minimum of one year.

Types of migrant

An economic migrant is a person who moves voluntarily for work or to improve his/her social and economic conditions.
A refugee is a person who, owing to a fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, has fled their country and sought protection in another country. This type of migration can be called forced migration.
An asylum seeker is a person who has applied for refugee status and is waiting for a decision as to whether or not they qualify.

Enabling Factors in Migration

Disparities (differences) in the wealth of different parts of the world means that people may be able to find work and improve their lives by migrating.

Transportation

Improvements in modern transport networks allow global labour flows to happen more easily.
Passengers on jet aircraft, boats and railways can all travel very large distances.

Land grabs and mechanisation

Land grabbing describes TNCs or governments purchasing or renting large areas of land.
The mechanisation of agriculture and other industries may lead people to migrate to find new jobs.
There has been a move internally in China from rural areas to coastal cities like Shenzhen in the search for work and a better life.

Localised migration

A lot of international migration is relatively regionalised - it takes place in a small area or between a small number of countries.
- E.g. From Mexico to the USA.
- E.g. Within the EU after the Schengen Agreement (which allows borderless travel between certain EU member states).

Push and Pull Factors - Migration

Some push factors drive migrants out of a country and some pull factors attract migrants towards a country.

Push factors

Environmental - If there is a natural disaster in a region (earthquake, tsunami, etc.) then people may be pushed out of an area.
- People may not be able to afford the repairs to their property.
- Desertification can make it hard for people to support themselves as the land becomes less productive.
Mechanisation - Automation of farming means that fewer jobs are available in rural areas.
Politics/War - People might be forced to flee their homes because of conflict. The Syrian Civil War involving Bashar al-Assad is an example of this.

Pull factors

Economic - Some nations provide more jobs, which are often better paid.
Quality of life - Healthcare and education are more easily accessible in urban areas.
Family - Some migrants may join other family members that have already moved to a country.