Migration Theories Quiz

Migration

• Migration is the process of permanently changing residence from one geographic location to another.
• Migration is one of the three basic demographic processes.
• A universally accepted definition for "migrant" or "migration" does not exist at the international level.
• The IOM defines a migrant as a person who moves away from their place of usual residence, whether within a country or across an international border, temporarily or permanently, for a variety of reasons.
• This includes various legal categories of people, such as migrant workers, and persons whose movements are legally defined (e.g., smuggled migrants).
• It also includes those whose status or methods of movement are not specifically defined in international law.
• The country of usual residence of a person is the country in which the person has a place to live where they spend the daily period of rest.

Measuring Migration: Stocks vs. Flows

• Migrant flows refer to the number of migrants that have moved from one country to another within a year, or the number of migration events (e.g., arrivals or departures) in the same period.
• Sources of data on migration flows include population registers (primarily used), registered movements at borders, residence/work/stay permits, regularizations/apprehensions at borders (irregular migration), and consular records. Household surveys such as LFS and HBS can also be sources. However, household migration data and the number of procedures might not always align with actual migration events or migrant counts.
• Stocks of migrants represent the group of people who have directly or indirectly experienced a migration event (or are descendants of migrants) and reside in a specific country at a given point.
• Sources of data on migrant stock include population censuses, population registers/foreign national registers, permits (e.g., December 31st or January 1st), consular records, and household migration surveys.

Criteria of Immigrant Stock Identification

• Country of birth: Identifies foreign-born population, irrespective of current citizenship.
• Country of citizenship: Shows the foreign population of a country, considering usual residence and citizenship, irrespective of birth country.
• Country of birth of parents: Shows residents with immigrant background, regardless of their own citizenship.
• Race or ethnicity: This criterion is less applicable to countries with diverse populations.
• Experience of residence abroad: This covers foreign-born and return migrants who have resided abroad for a year or longer.

Measuring Population Migration: Example (Ukraine)

• The 2001 Ukrainian population census revealed that 5,256,923 people had moved to Ukraine from abroad. Most of these individuals were foreign-born, indicating significant pre-1991 migration.

Indicators of Migration

• In-migration rate: Inflow per 1000 population
• Out-migration rate: Outflow per 1000 population
• Net-migration rate: (Inflows - Outflows) / population * 1000
• Gross migration rate: (Inflows + Outflows) / population * 1000

Theories of Migration

• Ravenstein's laws: The majority of migrants move short distances; each major migration flow has a counter flow; long-distance migrants tend to move to major centers of commerce; rural residents migrate more than urban residents; and economic factors are primary motivations
• Stouffer's intervening opportunities theory: Number of migrants traveling a distance is proportional to opportunities, inversely proportional to intervening opportunities.
• Zipf's size-distance hypothesis: Migration volume is related to the population sizes of the location and distance.
• Tiebout's voting with feet hypothesis: Individuals migrate based on local public goods and taxes.
• Lee's push-pull theory: Migration depends on origin and destination factors including intervening obstacles and personal characteristics.
• Todaro's model: Migration is driven by spatial differences in wages or earnings. This model highlights the role of economic factors.
• New economics of labour migration: Migration is driven by household/community decisions rather than just individual decisions; Migration is a strategy to diversify risks by a household
• Stark and Bloom (1985): Migration as a response to income/earnings inequalities and relative deprivation within a community.

Push and Pull Factors

• Push factors (origin): Poverty, low wages, high unemployment, high taxes, overpopulation, discrimination, poor healthcare, war, oppression, corruption, crime, compulsory military service, environment/climate, famine, pandemic, attitudes.
• Pull factors (destination): Demand for labor, high wages, generous welfare benefits, good healthcare and education, strong economic growth, technology, low cost of living, family, rights, freedoms, property, law and order, amenities, culture, language

Potential effects of international labor migration in sending countries

• Labor market: Emigration may relieve unemployment in the short term but can lead to temporary labor shortages, possibly substituting capital for labor.
• Human capital: Returning migrants can bring new skills and attitudes, promoting job creation. However, an outflow of skilled workers can negatively impact productivity and future generations.
• Demographic and social effects: Large-scale emigration impacts age structure and economic viability, potentially impacting marriage and fertility rates.
• Economic growth and development: Remittances can boost investment in education/health, potentially stimulating exports and economic growth. Increased consumption of foreign goods may cause inflation.
• Living standards: Remittances are often crucial for meeting essential needs and improving living standards. However, they can exacerbate income inequality.
• Public budget and public policy: Labor migration releases social funds and grants fiscal freedom to governments; however, migration can diminish incentives for domestic reforms and increase external shocks

Potential Effects of International Labor Migration in Receiving Countries

• Labor market: Immigration can influence wages and employment for both immigrants and native-born workers. Studies show the labor market effects are not significant for the native population.
• Demographic Effects: Increased immigration in ageing societies can influence demography by providing workers.
• Productivity and economic growth: Immigration can increase specialization, innovation, and reduce protectionism, leading to higher productivity and economic growth.
• Public budget: Immigration can increase the tax base, but the expanded demand for public services may negatively impact public budgets.

Tasks for Practical Class

• Collect and analyze data on Ukrainian migration to EU countries from Eurostat.
• Read recommended literature (e.g., IOM, textbooks, related articles).

Annex: WDR-2023 Framework

• Policymakers framework proposed by the World Bank, categorized into "Match" (economic gains) and "Motive" (migrant's reasons) matrix, with different options for international cooperation depending on the match and motive.