IGCSE Migration and GCSE Migration

Specification:

1.1 Population dynamics (in the specification the migration section of the course falls under population)
Candidates should be able to:
• Describe and suggest reasons for population migrations. Reference should be made to internal movements such as rural-urban migration as well as to international migrations both voluntary and involuntary.

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Migration: The movement from one location to another location.

There are many different types of migration. The most commonly referred to are:

Internal Migration: Migration within a country e.g. Santa Ana to San Salvador or Birmingham to London.

Rural-urban migration: This is a type of internal migration. It is the movement of people from rural areas (the countryside) to urban areas (towns and cities). In the settlements topic we look at the causes, problems and solutions of and to rural-urban migration in Rio de Janeiro. If you want to read more go to the settlements page: IGCSE Settlements and GCSE Settlements.

In addition to rural-urban migration we also looked at the processes of counterurbanisation and reurbanisation in MEDCs (both forms of internal migration). Again details of these can be found on the settlements page: IGCSE Settlements and GCSE Settlements.

International Migration: Migration between countries e.g. El Salvador to US.

Temporary Migration: Migration for a limited period, this might only be for a few weeks or even several years.

Permanent Migration: Migration with the intention of staying forever.

Forced Migration: When people are forced to migrate, often because their life is in danger.

Voluntary Migration: When people freely choose to migrate e.g. for better weather or better universities.

Economic Migration: Migration for work e.g. better salary or promotion

Seasonal Migration: Migration just for a particular season e.g. the ski season or the harvesting season

Commuting: Movement from home to workplace and vice versa.

Commuting is biggest problem - BBC article

Different types of migration can also be used together, for example Mr Greenfield was a international temporary voluntary migrant when he migrated to Vietnam, the UAE and El salvador.

Examples of forced and voluntary migration:

FORCED MIGRATION: When people have to move usually because their life might be in danger.	VOLUNTARY MIGRATION: When people chose to move, usually for economic benefit.
Natural disaster (volcano, earthquake, flood, famine etc.) War Political persecution Religious or ethnic persecution Redevelopment or resettlement e.g. Three Gorges Dam	New job or better pay Retirement University/school Healthcare Better weather

Emigrant: A person who leaves a country to migrate to another.

Immigrant: A migrant arriving in a new country.

Migration Balance: The difference between emigrants and immigrants. If a country has more emigrants than immigrants that it is experiencing net migration loss. If a country has more immigrants than emigrants then it is experiencing net migration gain.

People will normally migrate because of a combination of push and pull factors.

Push Factor: Things that are driving you from the location that you live e.g. crime and pollution

Pull Factor: Things that are attracting you to a new location e.g. better job and nice weather.

The Lee's Model above show that as well as there being push factors from where you live there are also pull factors that keep you there (represented by + in model). It also says that as well as pull factors that attract you to a new location, there are also push factors not making you want to move there (represented by - in the diagram).

Push Factors from Source (origin) Country	Pull Factors from Source (origin) Country
No job Low salary Pollution and congestion Bad weather Crime Poor education and healthcare Poor housing	Friends and family House Know the culture Understand the language Understand how country works
Pull Factors of Destination Country	Push Factors from Destination Country
Better job Better salary Better schools and hospitals Peaceful and safe Friends and family already living their	Cost of housing Racial tension Language barriers Different culture No friends and family

Intervening obstacles: These are problems that a migrant may face on his journey. They are represented on the Lee's Model by the wiggly line in between country of origin and destination country. Intervening obstacles may include:

• Shortage of money
• Language barriers
• Passport or visa issues
• Bad weather
• Transport delays
• Problems with housing

The charity Amnesty International has made four short documentaries highlighting the problems faced by Central Americans migrating to the US through Mexico. The documentaries are called the Invisibles. The problems in Mexico may include:

• Kidnap
• Rape
• Robbery
• Death
• Torture

PART 1: Seaworld	PART 2: Six out of Ten
PART 3: What Remains	PART 4: Goal

Mexico denies El Salvador's claim of migrant abductions - BBC article

UN calls for investigation to migrant abductions in Mexico - BBC article

More than 11,000 migrants abducted in Mexico - BBC article

American Illegals in Mexico - BBC article

Impacts of Migration

The process of migration can have positive and negative impacts on both the source country and the receiving country. Below is a summary of some of those impacts.

	Advantages	Disadvantages
Source Country (losing country)	Reduced unemployment. El Salvador's is currently about 10%, but in reality it is probably much higher. There is also a lot of underemployment. Reduced pressure on schools and hospitals. It is estimated that there are 2 million migrants living in the US from El Salvador. Remittances sent by family and friends living abroad. Remittances go straight into the hands of the people, not the government. In 2010 it was estimated that El Salvador received $2.5 billion in remittances, shared between 22.5% of families. Improved relations with foreign countries e.g. El Salvador and US, in 2011 Barack Obama visited El Salvador Migrants may return home with new skills and knowledge of new technology Reduced birth and fertility rate and people in reproductive age range leave	Often skilled and educated migrants leave 'Brain Drain' The dependency ratio increases as the economically active leave A dependency on remittances develops There maybe shortage of workers, especially during harvests Family separation Gangs have returned back to El Salvador that were formed in the US e.g. MS and M18.
Destination Country (receiving country)	Source of manual workers who are prepared to work dirty low paid jobs e.g. farming, construction and cleaning. Also source of skilled workers who are added to skilled workforce 'Brain Gain' e.g. teachers, nurses and lawyers (baseball players!) New cultures e.g. food and dance, Pupasas are sold in the US Improved links with source countries, possible new markets e.g. El Salvador buys US products and franchises e.g. Burger King and Starbucks.	Possible racial tension. US citizens will often blame Central Americans for taking their jobs. Inflation caused by increase demand Pressure on schools and hospitals. In parts of California over half of people speak Spanish, this can cause problems for schools, hospitals, etc. Possible unemployment Pressure on housing, electricity, water, etc. Increased congestion and pollution Gangs were created by Salvadorian migrants e.g. MS, M18

Remittances: Money that is sent home to friends and family by migrants living in a different location, often overseas.

Remittances top world aid

Downturn hits Filipino Remittances

Central America (including Mexico) to US Migration

The US and Mexico share a land border of roughly 2000km. Because of a series of push and pull factors, migrants from Mexico and Central America (El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala) try and make the journey across the border. It is estimated that over 1 million migrants each year attempt to cross. Many make it, but others are also caught, in 1995 about 850,000 were caught and deported.

PUSH FACTORS FROM MEXICO	PULL FACTORS TO US
Poor medical facilities - 1800 per doctor Low paid jobs - (GNP = $3,750) Adult literacy rates 55% - poor education prospects Life expectancy 72 yrs 40% Unemployed 42,000 violent drugs deaths since 2006	Excellent medical facilities - 400 per doctor Well paid jobs - GNP = $24,750) Adult literacy rates 99% - good education prospects Life expectancy 76 yrs Low crime rates Many jobs available for low paid workers such as Mexicans

Imapacts on US (positive and negative)

• 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
• Mexican migrants benefit the US economy by working for low wages
• Mexican culture has enriched the US border states with food, language and music
• The incidents of TB has been increasing greatly due to the increased migration

Impacts on Mexico (positive and negative)

• 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
• Legal and illegal immigrants together send some $6 billion a year back to Mexico
• Certain villages such as Santa Ines have lost 2/3 of its inhabitants

Push and pull factors and impacts are from: SLN - US Mexico Migration

Refugees and IDPs

Refugees: A person who has been forced to leave their home and their country. This might be because of a natural disaster, war, religious or political persecution.

Persecution: When someone is attacked for what they believe in e.g. their religion or political belief.

Internally displaced person (IDP): When someone has been forced to leave their home but not their country.

Asylum Seekers: Someone who is trying to get refuge (residency) in a foreign country because their life is in danger in their home country. This is usually because of their political or religious beliefs.

Asylum Seekers drown off Australia

Reasons for becoming a refugee	Problems faced by refugees	Problems faced by receiving country	Solutions to refugee problem
War e.g. Iraq Natural disaster e.g. Indian Ocean tsunami Famine and/or drought Political persecution e.g. Syria Religious or ethnic persecution	No housing Shortage of food and water No job or no money No clothes or limited clothes Poor medical care Disease Poor sanitation Safety concerns e.g. war, robbery, rape. Language barriers No education for children	Cost of providing food and water Cost of providing education for children and medical care for everyone Possible spread of disease to native population Increased pollution and congestion Possible racial tension Language problems of dealing with refugees Increased unemployment Possible inflation because of rising demand Food shortages Shortages of water, electricity, etc.	End of problem in source country The return of migrants to their home (1st choice) The return of migrants to ares or countries near their home (2nd choice) Migrants settled in a foreign country a long way from their home (3rd choice) The above three choices are the three preferred solutions of the UNHCR.

Iraqi Refugees and IDPs Iraq has seen a flow of refugees from its borders over the last 100 years. However, since the American led invasion of 2003, the number of refugees leaving Iraq and also the number of IDPs within Iraq has increased rapidly. It is estimated that since 2003, about 2.2 million Iraqi's have left the country and a further 2.5million have fled internally. Most refugees have escaped the ongoing fighting between coalition troops and remnants of Saddam Hussein's government, but others are escaping terrorist attacks (Al Qaeda has infiltrated Iraq) and political, ethnic and religious persecution. The majority of refugees have moved to neighbouring countries (Syria and Jordan), where there are similarities in language and religion and they are easily accessible by land. Warning of Iraq Refugee Crisis - BBC article UN warns of Iraq refugee disaster - BBC article

UNHCR: The UNHCR is the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.This is the UN organisation in charge of helping people who have become refugees.

WHO: The WHO is the World Health Organisation. This is a UN organisation that helps provide medical care to places that can't provide their own.

WFP: The WFP is the World Food Programme. This is a UN organisation that helps distribute food to areas suffering shortage and famine.

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