Migration
1 Match the words to their definitions
flee promote or praise
persecution an acceptance as true or valid
blur subject to thorough examination or evaluation
refugee a person whose request for sanctuary has yet to be processed
asylum seeker susceptible to physical harm or emotional injury
recognition the act of oppression or harassment with ill-treatment
vulnerable one who flees, especially to another country
concern the act of migrating to and establishing residence in another place
tout run away, as from trouble or danger
vetted smear or smudge
resettlement a troubled or anxious state of mind
2 Match the words/phrases to form collocations
pose gap
country of spirit
flee the line
blur persecution
legal policy
asylum protection
migration threat
potential seeker
skill challenges
entrepreneurial birth
3 Listen to the recording about migration and fill in the gaps with the appropriate words/phrases. Do not
write more than TWO WORDS.
1. Migrating due to ______________ may blur the line between economic migrant and refugees.
2. Specific rights and protections have been given to refugees by the 1951 __________
3. __________ are not necessarily granted if displacement is due to natural disasters and climate change.
4. The largest migrant groups are internally displaced and __________.
5. __________ makes it difficult for foreign governments and organizations to intervene.
6. Militarizing border security has been introduced as migrants are considered as __________.
7. __________ is thought to be a burden for government services by some.
8. The UNHCR has limited resources as it is only financed by __________.
9. The deal between Turkey and the EU is that __________ can be sent back.
4 Read the text and fill in the gaps with the appropriate parts of the sentences. There are TWO EXTRA
parts you do not need to use.
A. they apply for protective status
B. since many people fleeing conflict
C. recognize them as a refugee
D. processes set up by the host country
E. is unwilling to return to it
F. is not able to comply with the rules
G. consider them as asylum seekers
H. and fear for their safety if they return
For migrants, labels matter
People who move from one country to another are international migrants. This umbrella term covers
both economic migrants, who leave home seeking economic opportunity, and refugees, who flee their home
countries due to conflict or persecution 1. ___. These distinctions are important because different migrants are
entitled to different rights and protections from host governments and international organizations.
1
At a time when migration is rising and immigration is heavily politicized, it’s important to understand what
drives people to migrate and what their designations really mean.
Economic migrants are seeking job opportunities abroad.
Economic migrants, who account for the majority of the world’s migrants, broadly fall into two categories: those
who are authorized to work in the country they migrate to and those who are not.
In most cases, immigrants need permission to live and work in their new country. Many economic migrants
obtain that permission by applying for a visa or going through other 2. ___. Once granted permission, they enjoy
some rights to live and work in the host country.
When people migrate to a country without the permission or authorization of that country’s government, they
can be deprived of those same rights and find themselves in precarious situations. These migrants are called by
different names, often for political effect: undocumented immigrants, irregular migrants, and illegal aliens.
Who decides which migrants receive refugee status?
While the distinction between economic migrants with and without work authorization is straightforward, the
line between an economic migrant and a refugee is often blurred, 3. ___ often are also looking to escape poverty.
To complicate matters, governments, international organizations, and communities often disagree on who counts
as a refugee. This can result in the uneven treatment of refugees worldwide.
The UN Refugee Convention defines a refugee as any person who owing to well-founded fear of being
persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion,
is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the
protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual
residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, 4. ___.
Although 145 nations agree to this definition, host governments ultimately get to decide whether to recognize
someone as a refugee—through the process of granting them asylum.
Refugees and asylum seekers are fleeing for their safety.
Refugees and asylum seekers together account for only 10 percent of global migrants. The distinction between
these two, though seemingly small, makes a big difference in how they are treated by governments and
international organizations.
When migrants request that a host government 5. ___, they are called asylum seekers. If the host government
grants those migrants asylum, they are referred to as asylees and receive the protection that comes with an
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official refugee status, which may include the right to work, access to education and health care, and the rights
and freedoms afforded to citizens and legal residents of that country.
Sometimes, however, governments distinguish between refugees and asylum seekers in different ways. For
example, the U.S. government distinguishes refugees from asylum seekers and asylees based on where and when
6. ___. Refugees, according to the U.S. government, are located outside the United States at the time of
application; asylum seekers, on the other hand, apply when they arrive at the U.S. border or shortly thereafter.
By contrast, the United Nations considers migrants who flee war and persecution to be refugees, regardless of
whether they have requested or been granted asylum by a host country. That means, for example, that the United
Nations grants fleeing Syrians and Eritreans refugee status prima facie, or automatically.
Find the words/phrases in bold to their definitions
1. At first sight; before closer inspection –
2. A person who has been granted political asylum –
3. Used to describe multiple groups of related things –
4. To take something away from someone –
5. Someone who leaves their country, hoping to get protection and to be allowed to live there –
6. A foreign national living without authorization in a country –
5 Group work. Read the text about the process of getting asylum. Explain the procedure and say what
happens to those who are not eligible.
Group 1-2
Seeking asylum is a difficult process.
Every migrant, regardless of whether they entered a country legally, has the right to apply for asylum, but the
application process—including how to apply and in which country—can be difficult, confusing, and time-
consuming.
Some countries, such as the United States, Canada, and most European Union (EU) member states, require
people to apply for asylum in the first (or first safe) country in which they arrive.
In the European Union, for example, a law called the Dublin Regulation establishes which EU member state is
responsible for examining an asylum application submitted by someone who is not an EU citizen. Generally,
according to the rule, the EU country where the asylum seeker first arrives is responsible for processing the
application, which ensures that each case is processed by only one government. If asylum seekers register in one
EU country and then travel to another, they can be sent back to the first country in a “Dublin transfer.”
However, some countries, such as Sweden, have waived the first-entry rule, signaling a willingness to take
in refugees who arrive in another country first. This can create a “hot potato” effect in the EU, whereby the first
country to receive refugees tries to quickly pass them on to another. For example, Croatia announced that it
would not take asylum seekers but instead reroute them to Sweden.
3
Negotiations between and among governments can also directly affect where refugees or asylum seekers end up.
Under the U.S.-Canada Safe Third Country Agreement, most people who arrive in Canada but try to cross into
the United States and apply for asylum there will be sent back and have their asylum cases considered under
Canadian law, and vice versa.
In yet another example of international negotiation, the EU and Turkey struck a deal in 2016 that would allow
the EU to send back “all new irregular migrants” who entered Greece through Turkey. In exchange, the EU
agreed to grant Turkey economic aid, allow visa-free travel to most of Europe for Turkish citizens, and, for each
returned Syrian from Greece, accept one Syrian refugee from Turkey who hadn’t already tried to enter the EU.
What happens to refugees if their asylum claim is denied?
Whether for political, economic, or other reasons, host countries deny many asylum seekers’ applications,
leaving them with few options. These refugees remain in limbo, go back to their home countries, or head to a
new country.
Group 3-4
Not every refugee applies for asylum. Assimilating into an entirely new country and culture can prove extremely
difficult, so many refugees just wait to return home instead. These refugees—as well as those with pending
asylum claims and others who are unable or unwilling to apply—often remain in refugee camps without the right
to work and can face great insecurity and hardship.
For refugees fleeing violence and persecution, an already precarious situation can become uncertain and
dangerous on the path to asylum—and potentially even more so for those who do not seek, or are denied, that
status.
6 Work in groups. Look at the charts and explain them
Understand where migrants come from, where they settle, and why.
More than 250 million people—roughly one out of every thirty people on earth—currently live in a country in
which they were not born. With more people than ever on the move, it’s important to understand what drives
migration because it’s increasingly likely that people will encounter—or become—migrants in their lifetime.
People move for lots of reasons, which are often called push and pull factors. Some people are pushed to leave
their countries because of conflict, natural disasters, or persecution. The majority, however, are pulled to
countries that offer better economic prospects for themselves or their families. It’s quite common that a mix of
push and pull factors affects a person’s decision to migrate.
In the past thirty years, the number of international migrants rose by nearly 70 percent.
4
Group 1
The World’s International Migrants
About one-third of all international migrants come from just ten countries.
Top Ten Origins of Migrants
Number of Emigrants Living Abroad by Origin
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Emigrants Living Abroad as a Percentage of Native Population by Origin
Half of all migrants live in just ten countries.
Group 2
Top Ten Destinations of Migrants
Number of International Migrants by Destination
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International Migrants as a Percentage of Total Population by Destination
Where people migrate depends on what’s happening in the world.
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Group 3
Refugees drive migration today.
Top Ten Source Countries of Refugees
For the most part, refugees end up in countries near those that they fled.
Top Ten Host Countries of Refugees
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High-income countries receive the most asylum claims from refugees.
Top Ten Recipients of New Asylum Claims
Migration today shapes tomorrow’s world.
Migration—who migrates, where, and why—is constantly evolving. Today’s migration patterns can tell a lot
about the broader global context, from economic opportunities to humanitarian crises. But they also give a
preview of what the future will look like in a world shaped by the paths of migrants.
7 Listen to the recording about immigration from the Philippines, and choose the best option from A, B or
C.
1. In the Philippines, there has been
A. a huge population.
B. a massive exodus.
C. a powerful economy.
2. The Philippine economy relies on
A. investments.
B. workforce.
C. remittances.
3. Dependence on overseas workers
A. results in vulnerability.
B. causes currency drops.
C. reduces state benefits.
4. Emigration promoted by the government
A. enhances labour market competition.
B. provides employment opportunities.
C. has not been proved to be beneficial.
5. Filipinos who move overseas
A. do low-status jobs.
B. all have degrees.
C. have valuable skills.
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6. Women emigrants sometimes
A. pursue academic studies abroad.
B. flee to get rid of domestic violence.
C. divorce to move to another country.
7. Filipino children
A. are left stranded with only one parent.
B. have no parental guidance at all.
C. provide care for family members.
8 Speaking
Work in groups. Visit the following websites and collect information about the pros and cons of migration.
https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/152453/economics/pros-and-cons-of-immigration/
https://immigration.procon.org
https://carleton.ca/ces/eulearning/politics/human-rights/immigration-and-asylum-some-concerns-for-europe/
9 Speaking
Express your opinion about the following statement. Collect your points for and against.
Migration is a fundamental right, and everybody should be entitled
to it.
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