Case studies
USA (AC)
Laos (Lao PDR)
Brazil (EDC)
Current patterns of migration
Loss of half a million between 2000-2009
Changes in immigration and emigration
Increased migration between Brazil and neighbouring countries, emigration of highly skilled workers to Europe, USA and Japan
Interdependance
Top countries that Brazilian-natives emigrate to
Portugal - 140,000
Japan - 50,000
Paraguay - 40,000
Migration policies
Interdependence between LAOS and THAILAND
Patterns of emigration and immigration
Opportunities and challenges
Migration policies
Interdependence with countries
Patterns of emigration and immigration
Top countries that immigrate into Brazil
USA - 370,000
Japan - 370,000
Portugal - 140,000
Interdepedance
Portugal
USA
Haiti
Overarching impacts on Brazil
Economic development
Opportunities and challenges created by USA international migration
This slowed to a loss of 190,000 between 2010-2014
Slowing down of emigration of lower skilled economic migrants to the USA
Rise of influx from Haiti and increasingly from African countries using Ecuador and Chile
For economic migrants, Portugal has become a gateway into the EU
The shared language and familial ties allow easy integration
Reciprocal migration then takes place due to the social diaspora in both countries
Migrants working in the US are able to remit significant remittances in terms of both financial and social due to the acquisition of skills and knowledge
USA and Brazil have agreements regarding agriculture, trade, finance, education and defence
Strong links to the service sector; education
USAID supports environmental projects ranging from aiding the Xavante indigenous people to protect their tribal lands as well as assisting the Brazilian government in protecting the rainforest.
The National Immigration Council for Brazil enables Haitian immigrants to obtain visas easily in Haiti
Of great benefit, especially after the 2010 earthquake and the effects of Hurricane Sandy
Haitians want to escape the political instability, unemployment, poverty, poor access to education and the abuse of human rights - especially gender based violence
Haitians often flee to Rio de Janeiro and Santa Caterina where there are low-skilled agricultural jobs
Political stability
Social equality
UNESCO argues that there are inequalities between ethnic groups in Brazil as a result of immigration patterns
These inequalities stem from housing provision, access to services, educational attainment and income
Poverty concentrated in favelas and rural areas
Prejudice against black and indigenous people specifically in the labour market
Immigration mostly contributed to the growth of the agriculture and manufacturing sectors
Highly skilled professionals contributing to entrepreneurship, innovation and reducing gaps in the labour market
Emigration = remittances which make up 0.1% of Brazil's GDP
Member of G20, OECD and BRICS as well as one of the leading countries in Mercosur and so has a stable political system
Mercosur offers free flows of trade, money and labour migration
Stable links to USA, Japan and Portugal
In 2018, 44.7 million migrants living in the USA
In 2018, 4.8 million US citizens living abroad
Reasons
Employment opportunities and thus, opportunity to send remittances
Educational opportunities and health services
Positive immigration and refugee admission policies and possibility of a Green Card
Importance of family reunification
Main destinations
Main contributors
India (6%)
China (6%)
Mexico (25%)
Mexico
UK
Canada
Why?
Family reunifications in Mexico and other Latin American families
Highly skilled workers in IT, education and communications have emigrated to the UK, Canada and other EU countries
Main body of law: The Immigration and Naturalisation Act which allows an annual world limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants
480,000 of these are available for family members to join US citizens
140,000 available for skilled migrants
45,000 for protecting refugees
50,000 for immigrant visas to promote diversity
Temporary visas following a natural disaster or ongoing conflict
Largest bilateral corridor = USA AND MEXICO
2018, 38.5 million Mexicans lived in the US
Remittances from Mexican immigrants totalled 2.2% of Mexico's economy
Since NAFTA, trade has increased significantly and the development of aerospace and IT is Mexico is largely due to FDI provided by the US
Political powers remain unbalanced but there's mutual cooperation over drug trade, human trafficking, border security and water scarcity
Opportunities
Migrants contribute to low-skilled, 'unattractive; jobs in the US. Mexican immigrants made up 29% of service work and 26% in manufacturing which contributes to the overall GDP
Immigrants can also provide high-skilled work like the in business and science from India (76%) and China (54%)
Young immigrant workers where the US suffers from a decrease in birth rate and an ageing population
Immigrants are consumers too and so contribute to commercial sales of US companies
Challenges
An estimated 10.9 million unregistered immigrants live in the US
Uneven progress in the integration of immigrant groups into US society depending on the size and diversity of the immigrant groups
Where immigrant groups are concentrated, resource shortages can occur such as the water scarcities in southern Califronia
Main countries emigrated to
Thailand: 930,000
USA: 200,000
Bangladesh: 90,000
Which main countries to migrants come from
Vietnam: 10,000
China: less than 10,000
Thailand: less than 10,000
Why is Laos not great?
Insufficient land available in Laos for farming which leads to some food insecurity
Daily minimum wage is 300 baht in Thailand compared to 80 baht in Laos
Low levels of education in Laos mean low skilled jobs are highyl sought after
Why is it easy to easier to migrate to Thailand?
Similar language and culture
Travel across Mekong
Employment opportunities
Laos is a source country of human trafficking
National plan for anti-human trafficking policy
In 2013, 36% of the population were under 15 and so there are increasingly more people who enter into the work force
Protection
Prosecution
Prevention
Education, campaigns
Reintegration of returning migrants and shelters for women
Investigate trafficking networks and strengthening legal frameworks
Flow dominated by outward flow of unskilled Laotians moving to Thailand. Work mostly in construction, agriculture, fisheries and factory work
Thailand has funded health development and drugs treatment centres in Laos
Both help to manage the Mekong river as well as the Don Sahong hydro-power project
Building rail links in 2012 and a high speed rail service to China, helping to develop further trade links
Opportunities
Relationship between Laos and Thailand is one of the largest in ASEAN which stimulates growth and development
Relations with Vietnam also promote economic growth as they collaborate with 400 investment properties
Remittances are important as 22% of families live on the poverty line
Political stability improving between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam
Challenges
Most economic migrants in Laos are under 18 and so vulnerable to human trafficking, forced labour and exploitation
Loss of skilled labour
The garment industry in Laos is the largest and depends on the retention of young female migrants which might be lost to other low skilled jobs in Thailand