Migration
By
Dr. Dania Amjad
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Migration
• A type of mobility
– Migration is a permanent move to a new
location
– Migration = relocation diffusion
• Emigration – from a location
• Immigration – to a new location
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Why Do People Migrate?
• Characteristics of migrants
– Most long-distance migrants are
• Male
• Adults
• Individuals
– Families with children = less common
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Why Do People Migrate?
• Characteristics of migrants
– Gender
• Traditionally, males outnumbered females
• In the United States today, 55 percent of
immigrants = female
– Family status
• In the United States today, about 40 percent of
immigrants = young adults, aged 25–39
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Why Do People Migrate?
• Reasons for migration
– Most people migrate for economic reasons
– Push and pull factors
• Economic: people move away from places with
poor economic opportunities and toward places
with better ones
• Cultural factors
– Forced migration (e.g., slavery, refugees)
– Political factors
• Environmental factors
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Refugees: Sources and Destinations
Figure 3-2
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Why Do People Migrate?
• Reasons for migration
– Push and pull factors
• Intervening obstacles
– Historically, intervening obstacles = environmental
– Transportation technology = limited environmental
intervening obstacles
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Why Do People Migrate?
• Distance of migration
– Internal migration
• Two types:
– Interregional migration = movement from one region
to another
– Intraregional migration = movement within a region
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Internal Migration
• Internal Migration
– Within one country.
– Crossing domestic
jurisdictional
boundaries.
– Movements between
states or provinces.
– Little government
control.
– Factors:
• Employment-based.
• Retirement-based.
• Education-based.
• Civil conflicts
(internally displaced
population).
Slide courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
Interregional Migrations
Movement from one region of a country to
another
U.S. population has been moving Westward and
Southward
· Gold Rush (1849) and Donner Party just the most
dramatic examples of hardship.
– Wells, Pumps, Aqueducts, Mosquito Control and Air
Conditioning have allowed this move which otherwise would be
impossible.
· Loss of Industrial Jobs in east compliments increase
in Sunbelt service sector (biotech, communications).
Intraregional Migrations
in LDCs
Populations in the less developed world are
rushing to cities in search of work and income.
Urbanization
· migration from rural
areas
· lack of jobs in
countryside
· lack of services in
cities
· Tokyo, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Mexico
and New York only
MDC cities on top 10
list
Lagos, Nigeria Mumbai, India
Why Do People Migrate Within a Country?
• Migration between regions of a country
– U.S. settlement patterns
• Colonial settlement
• Early settlement in the interior (early 1800s)
• California
– Gold Rush in the 1840s
• Great Plains settlement
• Recent growth of the South
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Why Do People Migrate Within a Country?
• Intraregional migration in the United
States
– Migration from rural to urban areas
• Primary reason = economic migration
– Migration from urban to suburban areas
• Primary reason = suburban lifestyle
– Migration from urban to rural areas
• Counterurbanization
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Why Do People Migrate?
• Distance of migration
– International migration
• Two types:
– Voluntary
– Forced
• Migration transition
– International migration is most common in countries
that are in stage 2 of the demographic transition
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International Migration
• Voluntary migration
– The migrant makes the decision to move.
– Most migration is voluntary.
• Forced Migration
– Involuntary migration in which the mover has no role
in the decision-making process.
– Slavery.
• About 11 million African slaves were brought to the
Americas between 1519 and 1867.
• In 1860, there were close to 4 million slaves in the
United States.
– Refugees.
– Military conscription.
– Children of migrants.
– Situations of divorce or separation.
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
Voluntary African-American Migrations
Blacks moved to Industrial Belt (i.e., Chicago, New York, Detroit) and Los
Angeles during World Wars (labor shortages).
Forced Migration
The Trail of Tears, 1838
Forced Migration
Global Migration Patterns
Figure 3-5
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Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles?
• Immigration policies of host countries
– U.S. quota laws
• The Quota Act (1921)
• The National Origins Act (1924)
– Temporary migration for work
• Guest workers
• Time-contract workers
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Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles?
• Distinguishing economic migrants from
refugees
– Emigrants from Cuba
– Emigrants from Haiti
– Emigrants from Vietnam
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Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles?
• Cultural problems faced while living in
host countries
– U.S. attitudes towards immigrants
– Attitudes toward guest workers
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Where Are Migrants Distributed?
• Global migration patterns
– Net out-migration: Asia, Africa, and Latin
America
– Net in-migration: North America, Europe,
and Oceania
• The United States has the largest foreign-born
population
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Net Migration by Country
Figure 3-7
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Where Are Migrants Distributed?
• U.S. migration patterns
– Three main eras of migration
• Colonial migration from England and Africa
• Nineteenth-century immigration from Europe
• Recent immigration from LDCs
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Where Are Migrants Distributed?
• Impact of immigration on the United
States
– Legacy of European migration
• Europe’s demographic transition
– Stage 2 growth pushed Europeans out
» 65 million Europeans emigrate
• Diffusion of European culture
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Where Are Migrants Distributed?
• Impact of immigration on the United
States
– Unauthorized immigration
• 2008 = estimated 11.9 million unauthorized/
undocumented immigrants
– About 5.4 percent of the U.S. civilian labor force
– Around 59 percent are undocumented immigrants
from Mexico
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Where Are Migrants Distributed?
• Impact of immigration on the United
States
– Destinations
• California = one-fifth of all immigrants and one-
fourth of undocumented immigrants
• New York = one-sixth of all immigrants
– Chain migration-migration to a specific
location because family already migrated
there
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
🌍 International Migration from Pakistan
📈 Emigration Trends
• Total Emigrants: Over 13.5 million Pakistanis have officially emigrated
to more than 50 countries as of April 2024, marking a significant increase
in the diaspora. Wikipedia
• Recent Surge: In 2022 alone, more than 800,000 individuals left
Pakistan, driven by factors such as economic challenges and security
concerns. The Express Tribune
🌐 Top Destination Countries
According to the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment, the
primary destinations for Pakistani emigrants include:
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Qatar
• Oman
• Malaysia
These countries attract Pakistani workers due to labor opportunities in
sectors like construction, services, and domestic work.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
🏠 Internal Migration within Pakistan
Urbanization Trends
• Rural to Urban Shift: A significant movement from rural
areas to urban centers is observed, with cities like Karachi,
Lahore, and Islamabad experiencing rapid population
growth.
• Drivers: Key factors include the search for employment,
better education, and improved living standards.
📍 Affected Regions
• Source Regions: Provinces such as Punjab, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh are major contributors to internal
migration flows.
• Destination Hubs: Urban centers, particularly Karachi and
Lahore, are primary destinations for internal migrants.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Refugees and Irregular Migration
🔄 Afghan Refugee Situation
• Population: Pakistan hosts approximately 3 million Afghans,
including 1.34 million with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards
and 807,402 with Afghan Citizen Cards.
AP News+1AP News+1
• Recent Developments: Since October 2023, Pakistan has
initiated a crackdown on undocumented immigrants, leading
to the return of over 845,000 Afghans in the past 18 months.
AP News
Irregular Migration Challenges
• Risks: Many Pakistanis attempting to migrate irregularly to
Europe face dangers, including exploitation by human
traffickers and life-threatening journeys.
• Incidents: Tragic events, such as the drowning of at least 16
Pakistanis off the coast of Libya in early 2025, highlight the
perils of irregular migration routes.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
