International migration and hub cities

• Elite migrant


  Wealthy, highly skilled people, including very wealthy oligarchs who may own properties in a number of hub cities and travel freely between them
• Low-waged international migrant


  Legal and illegal immigrants working in low-pay jobs, such as in kitchens, domestic work, and construction
• International migration has increased in global hub cities and regions, deepening interdependence between regions (elite migration of Russian oligarchs to London and mass low-wage economic migration of Indians to UAE, the Philippines to Saudi Arabia)
• Hub city


  A city that is disproportionately influential on the world stage, economically and politically, and is a focal point for activities with global influence
• Hub cities are the most globalised places on the planet, meaning there are substantial flows of capital, goods, and people, to and between these places
• Globalization has led to an increase in the level of international migration since the mid-20th century. Hub cities have become destinations for all types of migration, from elite migration to low-wage migration
• Characteristics of hub cities

  • Central location for global activities
  • Not just about city size, but about the influence and types of flows (money, goods, workers)
  • Help integrate the global economy together through networks of trade, business, and international governance
• Examples of hub cities

  • London
  • Resources: Heathrow, Stansted, Luton, financial centre, education (LSE, King's College, UCL, Imperial College), culture (Buckingham Palace, West End, arts, Wimbledon), government (Westminster, NATO)
  • Business: Financial capital of the world, Square Mile, 500 EU HQs, 30% of UK's busiest McDonald's
• $15 billion remittances from UAE to Inda
• Russian's contribute to 75% house price spike in 2008
• 1/3 of foreign purchases were Russia in 2013
• 24 million migrants from Kerala working in UAE
• 'Dirty money' - £1.1bn worth of London property linked to Russia corruption
• 1/8 who held golden visas have been sanctioned