As one old folk saying goes, fish seeks where deeper, and humans seek where better. In search of this cherished “better life”, people often move not only to other cities, but also to foreign countries. Since the search for a more favorable place of residence was characteristic of mankind at all times, special terms were coined for it: immigration, emigration and migration. Let us know what they mean, how they differ and which have advantages and disadvantages.
The meaning of the concept of “migration”
Before considering the difference between immigration, emigration and migration, it is worth understanding the essence of these concepts.
If we consider the phenomenon of migration not in the animal world, but in human society, then this term stands for the process of resettlement of the inhabitants of one settlement (locality) to another.
This word is derived from the Latin migratio, which translates as "displacement". The term arose precisely in the Roman Empire due to the fact that there was a common occurrence the resettlement of not just individual citizens, but even entire nations.
People who for one reason or another change their place of residence are called migrants.
Causes
Before moving on to the topic “Immigration, Emigration and Migration: What is the Difference?”, It’s worthwhile to understand the reasons that are pushing people to relocate. And also focus on the pros and cons of such actions.
Although each individual person has their own, most of the reasons can be combined into several groups.
1. Economic. In simpler terms, the reason for such migrations is always money, or rather lack thereof. Usually this is moving from villages to large cities, and from poor countries to more affluent ones.
It is worth noting that not all the reasons for this category always have a thirst for profit. It often happens that a person’s profession is not in demand in his region or is paid very poorly. And his family has to migrate to where there is a need for such workers.
By the way, precisely for economic reasons in the modern world there is a constant migration and emigration of labor resources. Most often, specialists unclaimed in their native lands are simply forced to move to large cities or foreign countries. However, they do not always want this.
2. Environmental. Such migrations are usually not single, but group. Moreover, not only several families, but even entire cities, sometimes move. The reason for this may be some kind of environmental disaster (earthquake, flood, etc.).
One of the largest and most well-known migrations (for environmental reasons) is the resettlement of residents of the cities of Pripyat and Chernobyl to other settlements due to the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986. Despite the fact that more than 30 years have passed since this event, these cities still empty due to the extremely high level of radiation in them.
Sometimes environmental migrations are caused by soil depletion or climate change in a given region.
3. Political and military. In this case, resettlement, as a rule, also acquires a mass character.
Usually they occur when active hostilities or terrorist attacks begin in the country that threaten the safety of civilians. Sometimes such migrations occur when the political regime changes or in the case of the beginning of religious persecution of the Gentiles.
The pros and cons of migration
Like any action, migration has both good and bad sides.
First of all, having found themselves in a new city or country, the settlers gain a chance to start a new life and break with the past, sometimes very painful. When moving from a less developed to a more prosperous country, migrants also get the opportunity to improve their own standard of living and provide their children with a better future.
On the other hand, in a new place, as a rule, immigrants are immediately automatically ranked as second-class people and are often discriminated against. In addition, any migrant has less rights and freedoms than a native of this territory.
As for the city / country where the population migrates, the fact that the nation is rejuvenating (since the age of migrants is usually 20-40 years) is considered a positive moment. In addition, a large number of workers appear who are ready to perform the same amount of work as the locals, but at a lower cost. Various scientific institutions often take advantage of this, importing qualified scientists from poor countries.
On the other hand, a large amount of cheap labor contributes to the fact that wages in the region are falling, and often the indigenous people themselves are forced to migrate in order to find a job.
Also, many immigrants do not have sufficient qualifications to earn an honest living. Because of this, in order to survive, they are forced to engage in robbery or prostitution.
In addition to all of the above, sometimes, once in a country with a good social base, migrants simply turn into drones, living on taxpayers' money.
What types of migration are known
The process under consideration is divided into several types.
- Internal migration. Resettlement takes place domestically or even in one region. This type includes moving from a village to a big city, or vice versa.
- External. This is a move outside the country.
Resettlement of the second type, in turn, is divided into two categories:
So, we proceed to consider the essence of the question posed at the very beginning of the article. "Emigration" and "migration" - the difference between the words at first glance is small, the difference is only one letter. But is it really so? Let's dig deeper, as they say.
What is emigration?
To better understand the differences between migration and emigration, it is worth knowing the meaning of the latter.
So, this term refers to the departure for permanent residence of a person or group of persons outside the country. Such people are called emigrants.
What is immigration?
So, we already know what migration and emigration are. But there is another term that also means the relocation of people changing their place of residence.
Immigration is the process of entry of foreigners into a country in order to stay in it. Such persons, respectively, are called immigrants.
What is the difference between migration and emigration
Having dealt with the lexical meaning of all 3 terms, it is worthwhile to dwell in more detail on the nuances.
So, what is the difference between immigration, emigration and migration?
The difference between the first and second word can be understood already on the basis of their definitions. Immigration - entry into the country, emigration - exit from it. Moreover, these concepts are relative. For example, for the UK, the French family who moved to live here are immigrants. However, for France they are emigrants.
It turns out a kind of vicious circle? What is the difference between immigration, emigration and migration? All these words indicate resettlement, only the first two concepts are types of external migration.
At the same time, migration is a broader concept and includes two of the above. It turns out that if you call a person a migrant (immigrant), then it is still not known exactly where and where he is moving from. And if you clarify that he is an emigrant, it becomes clear that he is leaving his country.
In addition, the concept of “migration” can be used in other areas. For example, in biology (migration of cells, plants, birds or animals), in economics (the so-called “migration of capital”, “labor migration”) or in physical and chemical disciplines (migration of energy, elements or seismograms).