Migration

Migration refers to the movement of people from one country, region, or locality to another. Migration may occur as a voluntary choice, or may be the result of being forced to move, for reasons ranging from war and conflict, to changes in laws, to political oppression. Although migration is often used as a synonym for immigration, migration refers broadly to movement into or out of an area, whereas immigration refers specifically to movement into another country. Approximately 1 of every 35 people (about 3% of the global population) is a migrant; such movement requires that educational institutions be prepared to support a mobile, diverse population. In 2008, there were 200 million migrants, which was 3% of the world's population of 7 billion. This entry describes concepts related to migration and provides an overview of international migration in relation to the United States.

There are a variety of specific terms used to describe migration and reasons for migration. For example, labor migration refers to movement connected to job opportunities, and forced migration is the pressure to move due to political or other factors. Global migration refers to the movement of people around the world; both forced and global migration are related to the term diaspora, meaning the scattering of groups of people abroad. Seasonal and circular migration refer to movement [Page 1505]during particular times of the year in repeat patterns, such as for farming.

Migration has led to massive changes throughout the world, including the development and settlement of new areas, urban growth, and globalization. As people move from one area to another, the interaction has also led to the blending of cultures, resulting in new forms of expression, such as through food, music, art and literature.

Internationally, some countries, such as India and China, have had large numbers of their population move to settle in other places. These countries are called “sending” or “source” countries. Other countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, are considered “receiving” countries because much of the population of these countries is made up of immigrants.

From an international perspective, differences in economic development and individual job opportunities lead to greater labor migration. The United States is the number one receiving country, with 20% of the world's migrant population. Within the United States, immigrants tend to be concentrated in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, Texas, and New Jersey. Mexico, China, the Philippines, and India are the top four sending countries of migrants to the United States. Many migrants send part of the money earned in the United States back to family members in their home countries, thereby contributing to the economic development of the source countries.

The demand for low-wage workers and the limits on immigration have resulted in different categories of migrants, with a small percentage of migrants fitting the “highly skilled” or “investor/entrepreneur” categories. Many more migrants immigrate to the United States for family reunification; others enter the United States without documentation or overstay the period they are allowed to remain—it is the last category that primarily contributes to the low-wage labor pool.

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