Emigration

Emigration is the act of leaving one's country of origin to live in another country, usually for the purpose of permanent or long-term settlement. It is the counterpart to immigration, which describes arrival in a new country. In demographic terms, emigration contributes to a country's outflow of people and can reshape population structure abroad and at home.

Emigration is driven by push factors such as economic hardship, political instability, persecution, armed conflict, and environmental pressures, and by pull factors such as better employment prospects, higher wages, safety, family reunification, and access to education. Emigration can be voluntary, spontaneous, or forced, with refugees and asylum seekers representing the humanitarian extreme of forced movement.

Historically, emigration has occurred in waves tied to economic cycles and political events. Notable examples include 19th-century European famine migrations, postcolonial labor movements, and contemporary skilled migration. Migrants may move temporarily or permanently, and may participate in circular or seasonal migration patterns depending on policy and opportunity.

Emigration affects both origin and destination. For countries of origin, out-migration can reduce labor supply and affect age structure, but remittances, diaspora networks, and returned migrants can offset losses. Destinations experience demographic and cultural change and may regulate migration through visas, work permits, and integration policies. Remittances remain a major economic link for many sending countries.

Measuring emigration involves counting the number of people who leave a country to reside elsewhere, the stock of emigrants, and net migration figures. Data come from censuses, surveys, and administrative records, and definitions vary by country, complicating international comparisons.