immigration
immigrationMovement of foreign nationals to reside in a country. This does not include people on short visits, for business or as tourists. Immigrants may come with the intention of permanent settlement, with the intention of returning home after a prolonged stay, or be uncertain at the time of arrival how long they will wish to stay. Immigration is motivated by ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors. Push factors could be poverty or persecution in the country migrants are leaving; pull factors could be economic opportunity or freedom in the country they go to. In many cases both factors may be at work; people want to leave country A to avoid persecution, but prefer to go to B rather than C because economic opportunities are better in B; or they want to leave A to escape from poverty but prefer B to C as a destination because they are better treated in B. Most countries welcome immigrants with great wealth or scarce skills, but seek to limit immigrants with neither.
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