International Migration: Patterns and Trends

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International Migration Patterns and Trends

• C R Abrar
• Professor of International Relations
• and
• Coordinator, RMMRU
• University of Dhaka

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International Migration I

• Reality of our time
• A complex process
• individual, household, community state
• An important pillar of globalisation facilitated
  by
• Improved transportation and communications and
• Stimulated by large economic and social
  inequalities

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International Migration II

• Increasingly involving growing number of states
  as countries of origin, destination and transit.
• Forces underlying the trends are unlikely to
  reverse therefore migration will conti8nue and
  most likely to increase in future.
• Restrictive policies of receiving countries.

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Typology of International Migrants

• Voluntary Short term contract workers and
  long-term migrants
• Forced Refugee and Asylum seekers
• Regular (with proper documentation) and Irregular
  (Undocumented / Unauthorized)

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Estimated Number of International Migrants at
mid-year
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Global migrant stock is rising
Source United Nations
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International Migrants as a percentage of the
population (worldwide)
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Region wise estimated number of international
migrants at mid-year in millions
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South-South migration is almost as large as
South-North migration
Destination of migrants from the South
Source Ratha and Shaw (2007)
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Percentage of international migrants by major
area or region
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Female migrants as percentage of all
international migrants (world wide)
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Emerging Issues

• Switch from senders market to receivers market
• International protection mechanisms not being
  implemented
• Vulnerability of less skilled migrants
• Domestic work not covered under national legal
  fold (gender dimension)
• Migrants contribution to economies of receiving
  countries largely unrecognised
• Irregular migration
• Need for cooperation between government, civil
  society and the private sector
• Accountability and transparency of the
  recruitment industy.

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Recommendations

• Realistic assessment of the need for migrant
  labour and commensurate policy of allowing flow
  of such labour through formal channels.
• Appreciation of migrants contribution to host
  countries
• Policies for integration
• Effective migration governance regime
• Ratification of the 1990 International
  Convention
• Securitization of migration in post Sept 11, 2001