Migrants and remittances

Abstract

Migrations have been feature of the history of humankind and of the world. They range from the movement, in ancient times, of whole populations in search of new settlements in more fertile and wealthier areas, of movements to "newly-discovered" continents, to willing or enforced colonisation, from the eighteenth century, to the migrations of the contemporary age, including recent migrations affecting societies in both Europe and in the United States, in many ways. One only has to consider the management of arrivals and of residence permits, the impact on the dynamic of the job market, of the interplay between different cultures, religions, habits and lifestyles, the impact on school education, housing, medical assistance, as well public or private initiatives targeting specific social groups, often characterised by social fragility and/or low income. Current migrations are unique in terms of size, complexity and diversity and are simultaneously both a product of and a boost to the processes of globalisation. The international migration phenomenon has reached the top of the policy agenda in a large number of developed countries over the past decade because, due to an ageing population and a loss of interest in some sectors of employment by parts of the local population, there is expected to be a further increase in the demand for migrant workers in the near future. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.