Migration Concepts and

Measurement

S.E. Moyo
M. Khumalo
PHS 101_2021 1
 Lesson Objectives
• At the end of the lesson, students should be
able to;
– Define migration
– Calculate different measures of migration
– Discuss the impact of migration in a population

PHS 101_2021 2
 Migration
• A migration is defined as a move from one migration
defining area to another

• (or a move of some specified minimum distance) that was

made during a given migration interval and that involved a
change of residence. (United Nations)

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 Definition
• It is a form of geographic or spatial mobility involving a
change of usual residence between clearly defined
geographic units.
– Temporary movements such as visits, vacation to other
places such as on business are not regarded as
migration.
• Movement of people from one place to another with the
intention of settling in the new location. The movement is
typically over long distances and from one country to
another. (Wikipedia).
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 Definition
National Movement
• In-migrant—A person who moves in a political area within
the same country
• Out-migrant—A person who moves out of a political area
within the same country
International Movement
• Immigrant—An international migrant who enters the area
from a place outside the country
• Emigrant—An international migrant departing to another
country by crossing the international boundary
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Current African Migration Flows Status
The Way Forward

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 Why do people migrate?
 People migrate for many different reasons.
These reasons can be classified as
 Economic,
 Social,
 Political or
 Environmental

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 Migrants and causes of migration
Highly skilled manpower
The reasons for migration are numerous, among
them:
For the intellectuals:
Lack of good governance in the countries: people do
not benefit from democracy, equity and adequate
welfare;
Repression against opponents: lack of freedom,
governments repression against their citizens;
Political, social or ethnic conflicts: part of the
population are excluded from high national
decisions;
Unemployment: seeking employment or high living
standards = motivation;
Poverty or low income levels;
Education.
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 Migrants and causes of migration
(Continued)
The reasons for migration are numerous, among
them:
For the non intellectuals:
Impoverishment of the rural areas due to climate
change: irregular rain patterns, less and less land to
cultivate, desertification, loss of livestock due to
droughts and diseases, etc;
Social exclusion.
Both flee due to:
Poverty and hunger;
Conflicts;
Political reasons.

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 Types
International Migration- Movement of
people across national boundaries.
• It is designated as
• Emigration from the standpoint of the
nation from which the movement occurs
and;
• Immigration from that of the receiving
country.
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 Types
Internal Migration- Movement of people
within boundaries of a given nation.
• It is regarded as
• Out-migration when a person moves
from his place of origin to another within
that same country and ;
• In-migration when the person reaches his
destination.
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 Who is a migrant?
• A migrant is a person who has changed
his usual place of residence from one
migration-defining area to another
• (or who moved some specified minimum
distance) at
least once during the migration interval.

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 Migration Interval
• Migration occurs more or less continuously
over time.
• The interval may be definite, e.g., one
year, five years, ten years, the intercensal
period, or it may be indefinite

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 Returning Migrants
• These are people who had previously
migrated from a place and at a later time,
they migrate back to the original place
– .eg. if an individual migrates from place A to
B, then later returns permanently to A, he is
called a return migrant.
• Return migration is common since
wherever a flow of migrants develops, it is
inevitable there will also develop a smaller
counter flow of return migrants.
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 Lifetime migrant and Lifetime Migration

• A person whose area of residence at the

census or survey date differs from his area
of origin is a lifetime migrant.
• The number of such persons in a
population is commonly referred to as
"lifetime migration".

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 Why do people migrate?

• Some people choose to migrate, e.g.

someone who moves to another country to
enhance their career opportunities.
• Some people are forced to migrate, e.g.
someone who moves due to war or
famine.
(PULL & PUSH FACTORS)
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 Pull factors
• higher employment
• more wealth
• better services
• good climate
• safer, less crime
• political stability
• more fertile land
• lower risk from natural hazards
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 Push Factors
• lack of services
• lack of safety
• high crime
• crop failure
• drought
• flooding
• poverty
• war
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 Measures of Migration
• Gross Migration
• Net Migration
• Crude Net Migration Rate
• Migration ratio

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 Gross Migration
• -it is the sum of immigration and
emigration.
• If considering internal migration, it is the
sum of in-migration and out-migration.
• It is a measure of relative magnitude of
migration turnover and the population it
affects.
• Gross= Immigration (I) + Emigration (E)

PHS 101_2021 20
 Net migration
• It is the difference between immigration
and emigration.
• If considering internal migration, it is the
difference between in-migration and out-
migration

Net = Immigration (I) - Emigration (E)

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 Migration Rates
Crude net migration rate

I - E
_______ x 1000
Population

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 Migration Rates
Crude gross migration rate

I + E
_______ x 1000
Population

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 Migration Rates

Crude immigration rate : Number of in-migrants per

1,000 population
I/P x 1000

• Crude emigration rate : Number of out-migrants per

1,000 population

E/P x 1000
PHS 101_2021 24
 Crude Net Migration Rate

• Crude Net Migration Rate - Difference

between the number of in-migrants and the
number of out-migrants per 1,000
population
I- 0
_____________ X 1000
Population
PHS 101_2021 25
 Exercise
Crude Net Migration Rate
Calculate the crude net migration rate for Country X in 1987, based on
the following data
• Country X
• Long-term immigrants: 3 925
• Long-term emigrants : 5 330
• Total population : 8 640 000

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 Exercise Answer
Crude Net Migration Rate

• The correct answer is as follows: Crude net

migration rate = -0.16

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Migration Ratios

Net migration I–E

_____________ = _______
Gross migration I+E

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Migration Ratios

Immigration I
_____________ = _______
Gross migration I+E

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Migration Ratios

Emigration E
_____________ = _______
Gross migration I+E

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 Migration Ratios

Net migration I–E

_____________ = _______
Immigration I

where I > E

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 Migration Ratios

Net migration I–E

_____________ = _______
Emigration E

where E > I

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Effects of Migration on the
Places of Origin and
Destination

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 Effects of Migration
• On places of origin
• loss of skilled labour- brain drain
• lack of workers to effectively develop the
country
• lowered birth rates
• separated families

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 Effects of Migration
On places of destination
• Overpopulation
• Addresses skills-gap
• Migrants help the economy to grow
• Social tension,
• Massive pressure on space and resources
• Halt aging populations
• Halt rural depopulation
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 Summary
• Definition of migration
• International and national/local migration
• Measures of migration: rates and ratios

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