The migration crisis: An analysis

Own Correspondent

THE migration crisis can be understood as a large-scale influx of migrants in a relatively short period of time to a fairly limited area.

The crisis is usually provoked by civil war, external invasion, armed conflict, and ethnic cleansing.

At the same time in such large-scale migration flows it is quite difficult to clearly identify traditional categories of migrants.

The migration crisis reveals problems and conflicts usually previously hidden, but existing or visible in the demographic, economic, social, and political spheres. The most significant difference in demographic potentials is expressed in gender and age disparity, shortage and oversupply of labor resources, lack of population and overpopulation of the territory.

The difference in socio-economic potentials is most often expressed in the number of employed and unemployed, the levels of wages and incomes, the development and accessibility of social guarantees and payments.

The following features of modern migration crises in the world should be highlighted.

Firstly, the influx of the population occurs in a relatively short period of time. The migration crisis is usually characterized by a sharp increase in the number of migrants.

Secondly, the large-scale influx of migrants in a short period of time endangers the functioning of the social infrastructure. It requires expenses for preparation of reception centers and accommodation facilities, provision of social and medical assistance to people and law enforcement.

This entails significant expenditures on the budget of the host countries and the diversion of funds from social programmes aimed at the local population slows down socio-economic development in the short term.

The consequences of migration crises need to be considered for receiving and sending countries. For countries where migrants are sent on a large scale, there are losses of human potential – the most active and educated people, as well as young people of working and reproductive ages.

In the countries of mass migration outflow, the population is decreasing the birth rate is decreasing, there is a shortage of labor resources, and the population is aging. Economically, the outflow of labour resources, active entrepreneurs, as well as qualified and highly qualified specialists is dangerous.

For countries with a massive influx of migrants, on the contrary, in the short term, there is a problem of demographic pressure, that is, there is an increase in the population of young and able-bodied people who cannot always automatically enter the labor market and get a job due to various circumstances.

In the medium term, the influx of workers and young people is a positive trend for the receiving countries. But in order to receive these demographic dividends, it is necessary first to incur the costs of integration programs and training and retraining programs for the workforce.

Migration movements were often caused by internal political conflicts and frequent natural disasters. Recent events indicate the permanent and increasingly destructive nature of the migration crisis. Its current aggravation is undoubtedly due to objective reasons.

The geopolitical situation and conflicts have a significant impact on the formation of flows of forced migrants who leave countries where hostilities and ethnic conflicts are taking place.

The most problematic countries that have generated key migrant flows in recent years have been Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine. Migrants, some of whom acquired official refugee status, flocked to more peaceful, stable and prosperous regions and countries with a developed social assistance system (Europe, USA, Canada and Australia).

The main cause of climate and environmental migration is natural disasters, the number of which is growing. More than 98% of the movements were the result of powerful storms and floods that occurred in East and South Asia as well as the Pacific rim countries.

Unfortunately, some part of society is not ready for globalization and openness and uses migration for profit and enrichment, transporting people from developing countries to economically developed ones.

Organized criminal groups (criminal structures) that earn money by transporting migrants from the poorest countries of Asia and Africa to wealthy countries in Europe and North America have become significantly more active.