Economic Migration on Global Interactions (HL IB Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Controls & Rules
A political factor that affects global interaction are the rules and controls around economic migration
An economic migrant is someone who moves from one region to another for work and a better standard of living
Globalisation has encouraged the flow of migrants around the world, which is important to the global economy
In 1970, approximately 90 million people were living in a country they weren’t born in
In 1990, that figure had increased to approximately 153 million
In 2020, it was estimated to be 281 million
The main trends in international migration are:
Migration is more global; people are moving greater distances than ever before from a wider pool of countries
Migration is accelerating; the number of migrants is rising in all regions
Migration is more diverse; there are more types of migrants, including permanent migrants, refugees, skilled workers, trafficked and forced people, retirees, etc.
Female migration has steadily increased; the UN estimates that approximately 50% of all international migrants are women. The majority of them migrate in their own right and voluntarily
Migration increases global interdependence and governments face challenges in providing for migrants and refugees
This has resulted in disagreements over whether migration has an overall positive or negative impact on the receiving or host country
Furthermore, increasing globalisation and the combination of migrants make it hard for governments to restrict migration
Shifts in manufacturing jobs from highly developed, high-wage economies to less developed, lower-wage-paying economies has increased the demand for workers
Many countries have attempted to restrict migrants, which varies between countries depending on migration policies and levels of global economic engagement
Singapore encourages international migration
Australia and New Zealand have barriers in place
Overall, migration is important for the growth of an economy
In the USA, economic prosperity is linked with the country's ability to attract skilled and unskilled migrants
In Japan, due to the ageing population, migrants are needed to increase the size of the working population
However, many people and countries still want to control migration
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Do not make generalised statements about attitudes to immigration
Be as specific as possible:
Many employers want a high rate of immigration because it increases the labour pool, particularly in the hospitality sector, where there is a naturally high turnover of staff
However, trade unions can oppose immigration as it keeps wages higher than they would otherwise be through competition by workers seeking job opportunities
Case Study: Management of Migration
UK's management of immigration since 1950
After the end of the Second World War, there was a serious shortage of labour to help rebuild the country
The UK encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries, particularly British colonies of the Caribbean, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
By 1971, over a million people had migrated from Commonwealth countries and the UK implemented controls to reduce the number of future migrant arrivals
By the 1990s, the UK found itself short of labour once again
With the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, there was an influx of people looking for work and a decent wage
When the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia joined the EU in 2004, many people from these countries made their way to the UK
Initially, very few of these migrants intended to remain in the UK, they intended to return home after they had made enough money
Many of these migrants were young (aged between 18 and 34 years) and half came from Poland
During the 2009 recession, job opportunities began drying up and many Eastern Europeans returned home
Free movement within the EU meant that the UK had no control over their borders
Many UK nationals began blaming these economic migrants for taking their jobs and abusing the UK's benefits system
With net immigration running at 300 000 a year, the control of immigration was one of the key issues in the UK's Referendum to leave the EU in 2016
However, critics ignore the fact that:
Migrants contribute to the economy through paid taxes and do the jobs others don't want
Many migrants are employed in low-paid, menial jobs such as factories, hotels, farming and care homes
Migrants may have a strong work ethic, which benefits employers, although some employers exploit this
Less than 5% of economic migrants receive any form of state benefit
Today the UK operates a points-based system
People are awarded points depending on their skills, previous income and age
This system gives some people visas to allow them entry into the UK for work or study
Mexico/US border
Between 1900 and 1920, 24 million new arrivals were registered due to the 'open door' policy of that time
Subsequently, migration restrictions have been introduced, with the US Green Card becoming harder to obtain
Now, there are approximately 40 million non-US-born citizens, with many more undocumented, illegal migrants
In recent years, the number of Mexicans leaving the United States has been greater than inward migration, even though the country remains the top destination for Mexican emigrants
Due in part to increased immigration enforcement and to a strengthening Mexican economy
Since 2013, Mexico stopped being the top country of origin to the United States, overtaken by India and China
In fact, most migrants into the US, are more likely to be college graduates, than field workers of prior decades
Despite the agreement on free trade between Mexico, the USA and Canada, their immigration policies are not equal and the dispute along the US and Mexican border is ongoing
Gains and Losses for Mexico
Costs | Benefits |
|---|---|
Large scale depopulation of towns and villages | Migrants send home remittances |
Many men migrate, leaving a majority of women who have problems finding marriage partners | Remittances can then support a better standard of living for those left behind |
Migration can break up families | Builds better housing, healthcare and education |
Young people tend to migrate, leaving the old and very young dependents behind | There is less competition for jobs and housing in Mexico |
Rural areas of Mexico have shortages of economically active people and lack key workers (doctors, teachers, etc. | Returning migrants have the potential to bring back knowledge, skills, education and culture if or when they eventually return to Mexico |
Gains and Losses for USA
Costs | Benefits |
|---|---|
Unskilled American workers find it harder to get jobs, as they want a higher wage than Mexican migrants | Businesses have benefitted as they now have a source of cheap labour and higher profits |
Wages are kept low and all workers are affected | Mexicans are prepared to do many of the jobs that Americans do not want, such as fruit picking or factory work |
Increased cultural and racial tension, especially in the towns | Large numbers of Mexicans have brought their culture and food with them, making Mexican food very popular in California (Mexifornia) |
Illegal migration is seen as a drain on the American economy: border patrol costs, holding centres, prisons, transport costs for repatriation, health care, etc. | More competition for jobs and housing in USA, which benefits landlords and businesses |
The USA spent $4.2 billion on US/Mexico border security in 2020 | Mexican immigrants contribute approximately 4% to the USA's GDP |
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