Types of Migrant & Causes
Geography: Cambridge International GCSE (2027 Exams), topic 6.3.3
Types and Causes of International Migration
International migration involves economic migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, moving due to push and pull factors influencing their decisions.
Types of international migrants
- Economic migrants move to improve work opportunities and income.
- Asylum seekers flee their country, seeking safety but await official protection.
- Refugees have been forced to leave due to conflict or danger and receive legal protection.
Push factors in migration
- Economic migrants face low wages and unemployment at home.
- Asylum seekers and refugees escape war, persecution, or natural disasters.
- Poor living conditions and lack of services push migrants to leave their country.
Pull factors in migration
- Economic migrants are attracted to higher wages and job availability abroad.
- Safety, political stability, and legal protection pull asylum seekers and refugees.
- Better healthcare, education, and living standards encourage migration.
Economic migrants
- Economic migrants move for better jobs in richer countries.
- Economic migrants can reduce labour shortages, but may cause competition for jobs.
- Migrants often send remittances home, aiding their original communities.
Asylum seekers and refugees
- Asylum seekers move due to fear, hoping for protection in safe countries.
- Refugee flows result from conflict or persecution, affecting the host country's resources.
Test yourself on Types of Migrant & Causes
What is the primary motivation for economic migrants to move?
What economic conditions push migrants to leave their countries?