Economic Cross-Border Migrations - Essay Example

ECONOMIC CROSS-BORDER MIGRATIONS Introduction In conjunction with deaths and birth, migrations have been described as among the three most important demographic factors that have a bearing on population change within a place. Migrations of any kind have often been considered as being quite difficult and complex to model, measure and forecast in the most effective way. Unlike mortality and fertility, migration is often not seen as being a single and unique event that takes place at curtain determined times and space (Firth 2007, p. 27). Instead, this process or human activity can sometimes take place as many times as possible in the course of the life of an individual. In this regard, the type and volume of migrations that take place can only be analyzed depending on the kind of definitions that are given in identifying a migrant. One of the central factors to these particular definitions is the preference of the size that characterizes the spatial unit as well as the prevailing legal status in a country where an individual is moving for him to be described as an immigrant. Additionally, the length of time that the particular individual will take before moving from that country also needs to be clearly defined in the process of understanding migrations or international flows. It is important to realize that these definitions are not standard; they often keep changing from one country to another over time. They are also at centre of debates and discussions among analysis that are highly preoccupied by measurements of migrations and getting various kinds of comparative data. This paper examines the concept of international migrations and some of the push and pulls factors that cause human behaviors across the world. Economic International migrations Death is sometimes recognized a special time by which the life of an individual is either celebrated or mourned, on the other hand, the birth of a new born often involves rejoicing and celebrating a new life into the world. International migrations in the same way, can be viewed differently depending on the push or pull factors that are influencing the process (Firth 2007, p. 34). For instance, some people move across borders in their pursuit for better educational opportunities, job openings. Additionally, we have another group that are forced to cross borders in search for peace and better standards of living, coming after the occurrence of political conflicts and other kinds of environmental disasters respectively. The effect of low-skill and high-skill migrants Following these different kinds of international migrations, it should be noted that the impact that an international migrant can have on the countries of destination and origin often varies with the fear that an outsider has, which is a characteristic making such migrations to be political , economic and social issues that need to be carefully considered (Sophal 2009, p. 45). These perspectives often influence the way migrants are often perceived by others in their countries of destination. For a very long time, rational debates on this issue have often been very difficult; in this regard, it is often very imperative that better forums be put in place in order to allow countries to hold discussions over this subject effectively. Because of the kind of data that exists on international migrations, the migration itself is in most cases conceptualized as a kind of special move from a determined origin, all the way to its final destination. Alternatively, it is also regarded as moving from a place of birth, moving all the way to a different destination but moving across internal boundaries. For instance, the kinds of measures about international bilateral flows have often been seen being based on migrations from a country that is quite different from that of the usual residence of the migrant (Sophal 2009, p. 47). In most of the developed countries the concept of migrations being permanent or long-tem is specially institutionalized by use flow data, which admits people as recognized immigrants instead of those that gain entry into the country through the use of various temporary or non-immigrant migration channels. Factors affecting international migrations From the above discussions, it is evident that migrations are special forms of relocational diffusion (involving the spread of innovations, ideas and behaviors among others from one place to another) that involving permanent movements from one locations to another. Most of the reasons that prompt people to move from one place to another can be described as being either push or pull factors. Push factors are those conditions that make people to move away from their countries of origin to look for better conditions of life in other countries. For instance, some of the push factors that prompt people to move to other countries include lack of enough job opportunities in a country, “primitive” conditions of life, natural disasters, political turmoils among others. Pull factors, which also have a great bearing on international migrations, are an exact contract of the push factors. In this respect, they are described as factors that often attract people in certain countries (McDonald 2000, p. 48). Examples of factors in this category include availability of job opportunities in that country, educational opportunities, better and reliable health care including political stability that enhances peaceful coexistence among people in that country. In the migration process, people place priority on the factors that are available in the country making them to be pulled towards it. Economic factors Economically, people are motivated in search of better economic conditions that enable them to achieve their life and career goals. In most instances, people think about moving from their countries because they have few job opportunities compared to the existing labor force. Due to process of economic restructuring, job opportunities from one country to another often differ considerably. In this respect, some countries will often have more job opportunities compared to others, prompting the need for international migrations from countries that have few job opportunities to those that have many. In this understanding, the economic pull factors are those job openings in the economically advanced countries, which attract people from other countries. Another example of pull factors that often prompts international migrations include areas that have a rich endowment of natural resources like minerals, uranium or petroleum (Ortega & Peri 2009, p. 62). These areas often tend to attract different engineers skilled in their exploration in order to exploit them. In this regard, new industries in different places often attract factory workers scientists and even technicians, who offer their skills in exchange of money incomes. Environmental factors Different examples have been cited about people that are forced to move to other countries because of various environmental hazards and disasters in their home countries. As a push factor, migrants are often made to run away from their countries of origin because of the adverse environmental conditions like floods, landslides, earthquakes among others (Ortega & Peri 2009, p. 76). Many people are made to move because of disasters that are water-related especially those that reside in vulnerable areas lime flood plains. Alternatively, the lack of water in some places also pushes people to other countries and places where they can get this commodity for their survival and livelihood (McDonald 2000, p. 54). Still on the same, pull factors are those attractive and conducive environmental factors that attract migrants in those regions and countries. For instance, attractive mountains, warm climates and sea sides often attract people to live in different countries. Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to understand that international migrations have become common in modern times because of the economic liberalizations that have become common in most countries. In this perspective, many people often move to other countries in order to exploit the perceived job opportunities that exist in those places. Globalization has also had a fresh share of this development because of the fact that people can now move freely across borders to seek jobs in multinational companies. Bibliography Firth, C. 2007. Migrations in a global context: Transitions and transformations emerging from international human mobility. University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain. McDonald, D. 2000. On borders: Perspectives on international migration in Southern Africa. Southern African Migration Project, Ontario. Ortega, F., & Peri, G. 2009. The causes and effects of international migrations evidence from OECD countries 1980-2005. National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Mass. Sophal, C. 2009. Review of labour migration management, policies and legal framework in Cambodia. ILO, Bangkok. Read More