What is Global Migration?

Tim Blackman

December 13, 2017

Global migration is debated just about as often as it is misunderstood. However, the reasons why people
migrate differ depending on an individual’s situation. In this post, we will explore what exactly is global
migration, dissect its current state, highlight some of the factors that cause global migration, and study
the pros and cons associated with global migration.

In addition to professional Translation Services and Cultural Awareness Training, Bromberg & Associates
also provides Relocation Services for people who need to move to another country. Now, let’s take a
look at the state of global migration presently.

Of the world’s current 247 million immigrants and expatriates, where are they from and where are they
going?

As a global phenomenon, people are moving just about everywhere. In particular, Quartz Media LLC
indicates that the largest area of regional migration is from Southeast Asia to the Middle East, which is
largely due to oil construction booms on the Arabian Peninsula. The biggest flow between individual
countries is between Mexico and the United States, the latter making up the largest single migrant
destination in the world. Many migration routes are within the same continents and regions, with
people moving to neighboring countries.

How people migrate depends greatly on each nation’s current immigration laws and the safety of the
route itself. While some migrants are able to travel by airplane or train, others do not have the same
luxury. Those looking to enter Europe through North Africa often face a particularly perilous route: an
extremely overcrowded boat over the Mediterranean Sea, sometimes with a Saharan Desert trek
directly beforehand. Transportation is one of many examples of how migration can take drastically
different forms.

Why do people move?

Safety

Natural disaster

Political conflict

Education

Family

Career

Economic betterment

The Push-Pull Factor

Some of the reasons that trigger global migration can be explained by what’s known as the Push-Pull
factor. Pull factors are factors in the destination country that attract the individual or group to leave
their home. These factors attract people to a new place largely because of the opportunities presented
in the new location were not available to them previously. An example of a pull factor would include a
family moving from a country with minimal job opportunities to a new location with more opportunities
for a successful career. The beneficial elements that the new country presents encourages people to
migrate there in order to seek a better life for their families.

A push factor refers to conditions which force people to leave their homes. A person would typically
move because of distress (safety, natural disaster, or political conflict). Although push factors don’t
require a person to leave their home, the conditions impacting the push factors often negatively impact
the quality of life for the person if they choose to stay. Places that experience drought and famine, war
conflicts, and/or high unemployment would contribute to the push factors that trigger migration for that
country’s residents.

Push factors, in particular, are often underestimated in their popularity and frequency, which is
emphasized by Manpower Inc.’s survey of employees across 27 countries. In this survey about relocating
internationally, 82 percent of respondents said they would move for a pay increase, 74 percent would
move to increase their career, and 47 percent would move to learn another language. In short, people
migrate for all kinds of unexpected reasons.

Does migration improve the quality of life?

Whether individuals migrate due to push or pull factors, there are undeniable benefits involved with
adapting to a new country. Some benefits are simply fun and exciting: learning a new culture and
experiencing new opportunities, such as tasting new foods and getting to know a different approach to
communication, or immersing yourself in the new cultural activities, can be exciting and enriching.

Other benefits, namely personal freedoms, are essential. People may leave their home countries in
search of safety and religious, academic, or political freedom in their new countries. It’s estimated that
around 11 million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of the civil war in March 2011; many
fleeing for their safety in search of a better quality of life for their families. In this example, migration
can improve peoples’ lives drastically.

Potential Drawbacks for Global Migration

Migration can present a great variety of challenges ranging from simple discomfort to profound shifts in
mental health. Migrating to a new place where the diet or the local culture is largely unfamiliar may be
quite jarring. Imagine moving from the US where drinking coffee or tea in the mornings is the cultural
norm to living in Central Asia where in some parts, drinking salty yak butter tea is the norm.

Culture shock is a predictable culprit for migratory challenges: changes in language, diet, politics,
religion, and environment are immediately visible. For example, those who migrate from the Middle
East or Africa are aware of the difficulties of adjusting to colder temperatures in Scandinavia. What
might not be as obvious, though, is the challenge of adjusting to extremely short daylight hours in the
winter, making seasonal affective disorder an unanticipated hurdle for many immigrants.

Furthermore, the act of leaving a home country can be emotionally difficult, especially for those who
may never be able to return and/or were forced out by situations that they couldn’t control. Having to
emigrate as a refugee from a war-torn Syria, breaks up families and can destabilize immigrants’ sense of
self, which could lead to depression. These challenges obviously should not be taken lightly – help and
support are key.

People and families that migrate may need language assistance in schooling, medical language services
and translation of personal documents required for migration.

What now?

The reasons why people migrate are seemingly as numerous as the world’s countries themselves. The
UN Population Division states that since 1960, at least 2.5 percent of the world’s population have been
international migrants. The combination of these two ideas means that this concept is not new:
migrants have been, are, and will continue to be part of our communities which are increasingly more
vibrant due to the integration of new cultural influences. By welcoming migrants into our communities,
this ensures they will adapt to the local culture quicker and more efficiently as well as enriching the
community by the exchange of new ideas and cultural norms.

**At Bromberg, we embrace the diversity within our company and communities we work with. Our
team of highly trained interpreters and translators are ready to help with your communication needs. Be
sure to contact us for translation services or for a quote on your next translation project.