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How can an understanding of the reasons for international migration help us to find solutions to the problem it creates?

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As a growing number of people migrate to other countries, some issues arise. People with different cultural backgrounds and customs may find it difficult to manage all the problems and share equal rights with local people. There are many problems such as job opportunities, education, health care, security, human rights. Communication barriers make it hard for people to understand different cultures and get on well with the local people. While, they work, study and live among foreigners, they bring a competition for the limited resources. This essay will attempt to explain why so many migrants leave their homes and make their living in host countries, try to find solutions to these problems.

It is claimed that so many migrants make a living outside their own countries can be summarized as follows. The first is economic. Migration occurs because migrants feel that there are few opportunities in their countries and need better living conditions abroad. Most economic migrants aim to find more job opportunities and get higher wages. People living developing countries need to work for a long time get small wage which impels them to go abroad and earn more. They make a great contribution to the economy of host countries and the better conditions make them unwilling to return home, this creates a loss of human capital for the sending countries. The solution to this problem is improving living conditions in developing countries. It is believed that migrants may return home or not leave away if this measure has been taken at the beginning.

Another reason which impels migrants to leave their own countries is to give their children a better quality of life. Children in developed countries have a long period of compulsory education, highly qualified teachers to help children become more independent and capable of self-study, with the capacity for organization and coordination. For example, in UK,

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children who are 5 to 16 have a full-time education by law, primary education is much easier and relaxed than many developing countries. In middle school, they can choose several subjects depending on their own interests, which have benefit for them to rich their daily lives. After graduation, they can make a decision whether to prepare for work or go to university for academic study. They do not have the pressure to find a good job like many students in developing countries. Thus, in order to give a brighter life for children, many parents choose to migrate. UNESCO aims to promote cooperation among countries through education, science and culture, it has a program to improve the education invest in developing countries, thus these children will have a better condition in the future.

The third reason is that migrants have less disparity in wealth. Besides that, health care system in developed countries makes people live in a comfortable and convenient life, which they do not have in their own countries. Tax has been used to balance the income difference. The social security system ensures equal rights to use the infrastructure. By contrast, people living in developing countries may have a bigger difference in wealth and living conditions, working hard to maintain their lifestyle. Both political and economic problems create social discord in developing countries. Developing countries has to do a lot to tackle with these problems so that many people choose to migrate.

Fourthly, public security is essential for a good quality of life. While, the human rights of migrants should be protected by host countries, people who come from poor countries may have a discrimination problem, Stefanie Grant (2006, p.4) argues that sex discrimination and violence against women create conditions make them are easily defended by others.

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The best way to defend these matters happening is to follow the law. However, Stefanie Grant (2006, p.6) points out the complexity of the international migration law makes it difficult for governments to understand and follow it. Thus, an important thing should be done is completing the law about migrants so that most countries have a regulation to follow up, which make them easier to protect migrants from inequality or discrimination.

Furthermore, illegal migration is a big problem. Some forced migrants, refugees, who have encountered catastrophe or had a serious shortage of food migrate to other countries to make a living. They come to other countries in illegal ways and it is hard to ensure their human rights. Stefanie Grant (2006, p.5) implies that the number of illegal migrants are being abroad are uncountable, the fluid character of this group creates difficulties for people to protect them. While, many companies are willing to offer jobs to illegal migrants because they are low cost human resources, this brings a new problem of equality between legal migrants and irregular migrants. Receiving countries should give more opportunities to legal migrants, governments should take measures against companies who have employed illegal migrants before so that a good international migrants environment can be maintained. It is believed that the host countries and international organizations can do is offering an equal circumstance for all the migrants to work and live through law and regulation.

There are effective ways to resolve the problems of migration. More opportunities should be offered so that migrants are willing to go back their own countries, they are human resources of sending countries. Improving fundamental constructions and living conditions

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will make residents live a better life. Efforts in improving education quality will help parents lighten their burden. A good society system ensures an organized order to help people live in harmony. The illegal migration problems may be solved if there is a completed law that international organizations could follow. It is difficult to resolve all of these problems, receiving countries and international organizations have a long way to go to achieve the targets, while it is the obligation to ensure migrants have a better life.

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References: Philip Martin and Susan Martin.(2006). A New Global Migration Facility. Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Stefanie Grant.(2006). Defining an Ethical Compassfor International Migration Policy. Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Heaven Crawley.(2006). Forced Migration and the Politics of Asylum: The Missing Pieces of the International Migration Puzzle? Blackwell Publishing Ltd

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