Around the world, migration is redefining domestic and social policy, polarising politics, affecting foreign relations and challenging notions of free movement.
This is because war, hunger, religious hatred, economic inequity and other push factors are causing the numbers of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees to surge, triggering fear and uncertainty about how to respond.
Most academic studies indicate that all migration and over time the cultural assimilation that occurs is positive and beneficial but requires well-policed and fair national policies that are not subject to capricious interpretation or sudden change.
Published research also suggests that the numbers of migrants any nation can readily absorb will be limited by a host of factors, including geographic size, short-term economic impact, a country’s demographic profile, the need for particular skills, and proximity to the countries from which migrants are coming.
