Myths vs. Realities: Paradigms & Stereotypes

Presentation at the IFLRY Seminar on Migration: Enriching SocietiesTimisoara, Romania; July 19, 2011

By Mateusz Trybowski (IFLRY) and Erlend Sand (NUV)

Migration Flows

Which of the following statements is true?

a)Most of the world’s migrants are refugees, asylum-seekers or undocumented.

b)The world’s largest category of migrants is made up of economic unskilled workers.

c)Most migrants come from the world’s least developed countries and lowest socio-economic classes.

Est. Annual Flow of Migrants by Channel (millions)

Sources: University of Oxford International Migration Institute (2011) How Migration Shaped our World and will Define our Future; US Department of Homeland Security (2007) “Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States;” Hamburg Institute of International Economics (2008) Database on Irregular Migration

Est. Annual Flow of Migrants by Channel (millions)

½ million annually to Europe (represents 3.5% of global migration flows)

Sources: University of Oxford International Migration Institute (2011) How Migration Shaped our World and will Define our Future; US Department of Homeland Security (2007) “Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States;” Hamburg Institute of International Economics (2008) Database on Irregular Migration

Est. Annual Flow of Migrants by Channel (millions)

DestinationRefugees

Pakistan 1,780,900Syria 1,105,700Iran 980,100Germany 582,700Jordan 500,400Tanzania 321,900Kenya 320,600Chad 302,700China 301,000

Sources: University of Oxford International Migration Institute (2011) How Migration Shaped our World and will Define our Future; US Department of Homeland Security (2007) “Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States;” Hamburg Institute of International Economics (2008) Database on Irregular Migration

Migration Flows

Which of the following statements is true?

a)Most of the world’s migrants are refugees, asylum-seekers or undocumented.

b)The world’s largest category of migrants is made up of economic unskilled workers.

c)Most migrants come from the world’s least developed countries and lowest socio-economic classes.

Migration’s Economic ImpactsWhich of the following statements is true?

a)Migrants to developed countries steal jobs from native-born workers

b)Migrants to developed countries exert downward pressure on wages

c)Migrants to developed countries have higher overall crime rates than indigenous populations.

d)Migrants are a burden on developed countries’ welfare systems (health and social services)