4.4.2
International Migration
After reading these notes, test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
Elite Migration
As well as the increase in rural-urban migration, international migration has increased in cities and regions that are global hubs.

What are elite migrants?
- Elite migrants are wealthy migrants who are welcomed to a country because of the investment and capital that they bring.

Elite migrants and FDI
- Elite migrants are an advantage to the host country because they boost their FDI.
- E.g. In 2013, the Financial Times reported that 82% of property deals in Central London involve foreign buyers.
- Increased international migration increases the interdependence between regions.
- E.g. The migration of wealthy Russian oligarchs (elite migrants) to London increases the interdependence between the UK and Russia as investment flows between the two countries.

Elite migrants and skills gaps
- Elite migrants can also be highly skilled people who migrate to a country to work within a particular industry.
- E.g. Skilled doctors who come to the UK to work in the NHS.
- The benefits of increased elite migration are that it increases investment into the host country and can fill the skills gap.
- But the source country can experience a skills gap and lack of investment as the migrants have left the area.
Low-Wage Economic Migration
Low-wage economic migration generally involves less skilled workers moving to new regions to find work.

Benefits for host country
- The benefits of low-wage economic migration for the host country is that this cheap labour can be used to develop the infrastructure of the country.
- This has been the case in the UAE Gulf State where foreign migrants make up 80% of the construction workforce in Dubai.

Impact on source countries
- The source countries benefit if remittances (earned income) are sent home by the migrants.
- The source countries can be negatively impacted if they lack low-wage workers as a result of migration abroad. This could create a skills gap.
- Like elite migration, low-wage economic migration creates an interdependence between host and source countries.

Patterns of low-wage migration
- Low-wage economic migrants move for different reasons. The migration of low-wage economic migrants from India to the UAE has been mostly construction workers.
- The low-wage economic migrants from the Phillippines to Saudi Arabia has been mostly domestic workers, for example, nurses and carers.
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia9.2.6Emerging Powers - India9.2.7Theories of Development9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
Jump to other topics
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia9.2.6Emerging Powers - India9.2.7Theories of Development9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
Practice questions on International Migration
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium
Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions
Mini-mock exams based on your study history
Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books