Migration

• Migration is the movement of people from one place to another
• A person who leaves one place for another is called a migrant
• A person who leaves one country to live in another is called an emigrant (E for Exit)
• A person who comes to live in one country from another is called an immigrant (I for In)
• Internal migration is when people migrate within the same country or region. For example, moving from the west of Ireland to Dublin. Most migration is internal migration
• International migration is when people migrate from one country to another. For example, moving from Ireland to Australia
• Economic migration: moving to find work or follow a particular career path
• Social migration: moving somewhere for a better quality of life or to be closer to family or friends
• Environmental migration: causes include natural disasters such a flooding or famine
• Someone who feels they cannot return to their country because they might be persecuted can apply for refugee status in their own country. This is also called seeking asylum
• A refugee cannot be forced to return to their home country under the United Nations convention

  They often end up in refugee camps until they can return home or find a host country to live in
• The reasons for migration are divided:

  • A push factor is what makes someone want to leave a place
  • A pull factor is what attracts people to live in a place
• Political migration: moving to escape political persecution or war
• Barriers to migration: 

  • Poverty: there may not be enough money available to migrate
  • Personal reasons: people may have ties to their families that prevent them from moving. Perhaps there will be no one to look after their parents if they choose to leave
  • Visas: some countries require foreigners to get a visa before they can enter the country. People may not be able to get a visa for the country they wish to migrate to
• The impact of migration on the place people move to:

  • This area is sometimes referred to as the receiver/host region
  • Immigrants benefit to receiving country because they bring a wide range of skills and add to the workforce
  • They increase government revenue because they pay taxes
  • They bring new cultural elements to a country, creating a multicultural society
  • However, there is also a pressure put on regional services, housing, and facilities as the population grow
• The impact of migration on the place left behind:

  • This area is sometimes referred to as the donor region
  • Marriage rates go into decline and birth rates drop. May lead to schools closing down
  • Other facilities may also close and sports clubs may find it difficult to keep their teams going
  • Becomes more difficult to attract industry because there is a 'brain drain' of young people
  • Farms become less productive without young people to develop them. Average age of farmers in Ireland is 56 years old, and only 25% of farmers are under 45 years old. Methods tend to be traditional