POPULATION DYNAMICS MIGRATION 3

MIGRATION IMPACTS OF MIGRATION

Types of Migrants  Migrants can be divided into five main categories: settlers, contract workers, professionals, unauthorised workers, and asylum seekers and refugees.  Settlers – These are people who intend to live permanently in their new country. Most head for the main countries of settlement, notably the United States, Canada and Australia. Around one million travel per year, the majority of whom are joining close family members.  Contract workers – They are admitted to other countries on the understanding that they will stay only for a specific period: the length of their contract. Some are seasonal workers. Others will be on longer-term contracts, of a year or more. Most are to be found in the Gulf countries.

Types of Migrants  Professionals – These include employees of transnational corporations who are moved around from one country to another. These tend to involve fairly small numbers, typically fewer than 1% of people employed in local affiliates are expatriates.  Unauthorised workers – Sometimes called undocumented or illegal immigrants. There are significant numbers in most immigration countries. Some have been smuggled in, others are overstaying their visas, or are working on tourist visas.  Asylum seekers and refugees – Asylum seekers have left their homes to escape danger; if their claims for asylum have been accepted they are then classified as ‘refugees’. In some cases of mass flight, however, when thousands of people escape across a border they are accepted as refugees without going through the individual process.

International migration: impact on receiving countries. Costs Benefits  Increased demands on the public capital stock (housing, education, health, etc.)  Labour shortages leading to a dependence on foreign labour in particular occupations.  Demographic rejuvenation  Increase in labour force and labour mobility  Permits growth with lower inflation  Increased cultural diversity

International migration: impact on receiving countries. Costs Benefits  Possible social tension with high concentration of migrants in specific areas.  Environmental impact – increased car ownership, demand for water.  Increased political influence in donor countries

International migration: impact on donor countries. Costs Benefits  Loss of social investment in education – brain drain.  Loss of ‘cream’ of domestic labour force.  Social tensions due to changed attitudes/values of return migrants.  The multiplier effect of remittances.  Reduced population pressure on public capital stock.  Lower employment and underemployment

International migration: impact on donor countries. Costs Benefits  Remittances may generate inflation creating divide between remittance and non-remittance households.  Depopulation in some rural areas.  Increased human capital with return migrants.  Increased foreign exchange reserves via remittances.

Case Studies on International Migration Mexico to the USA

What is the situation?  There is a 2000km border between USA and Mexico.  1 million + Mexicans migrate to the USA every year.  Illegal migration is a huge problem for USA and Mexico  US Border Patrol guards the border and tries to prevent illegal immigrants  850,000 were caught in 1995 and were deported

Reasons for the migration Push Factors Pull Factors  Poor medical facilities per doctor  Low paid jobs – (GNP = $3750)  Adult literacy rates 55% - poor education prospects  Life expectancy - 72 yrs  40% unemployed  Excellent medical facilities per doctor  Well paid jobs – (GNP = $24,750)  Adult literacy rates 99% - good education prospects  Life expectancy 76 yrs  Many jobs available for low paid workers such as Mexicans

Impacts on the USA – Receiving Country Positive Negative  Mexican migrants benefit the US economy by working for low wages.  Mexican culture has enriched the US border states with food, language and music.  Illegal migration costs the USA millions of dollars for border patrols and prisons.  Mexicans are seen as a drain on the USA economy.  Migrant workers keep wages low which affects Americans.  They cause problems in cities due cultural and racial issues.  The incidents of TB has been increasing greatly due to the increased migration.

Impacts on the Mexico – Donor Country Positive Negative  Remittances - legal and illegal immigrants together send some $6 billion a year back to Mexico.  The Mexican countryside has a shortage of economically active people.  Many men emigrate leaving a majority of women who have trouble finding marriage partners.  Young people tend to migrate leaving the old and the very young.  Certain villages such as Santa Ines have lost 2/3 of its inhabitants.

Case Studies on International Migration Mexico to the USA