Immigration
Immigration involves the movement of people from their home country to a host country or region, to which they are not native, to live. There are many reasons why immigrants choose to leave their home countries, including economic issues, political issues, family reunification, and natural disasters. In general, no matter what the reasoning is, immigrants move to another country to improve their life. Immigration presents both benefits and challenges for immigrants.
Benefits of Immigration
There are many benefits associated with immigration. Primarily, immigrants choose to leave their home country in order to improve their quality of life. Economic reasons for immigrating include seeking higher wage rates, better employment opportunities, a higher standard of living, and educational opportunities . It is also common for immigrants to leave their home country to escape from poverty, religious persecution, oppression, ethnic cleansing, genocide, wars, or a political structure (e.g. repressive dictatorship). No matter what the reasoning is behind immigration, it provides the immigrant with a new start on life and more growth opportunities than were previously available. Success in a new country is not guaranteed and often requires hard work and sacrifices, but many immigrants are willing to take risks for the possibility of a better future for themselves.
Immigration
This picture shows a group of North African immigrants on a boat near the island of Sicily. When most immigrants choose to leave their home country, the intent is to move in order to obtain a higher quality of life in the host country.
Challenges of Immigration
One of the initial challenges faced by immigrants is the cost of immigrating. Many immigrants are seeking better economic conditions in a new country, so the cost of moving can be substantial for them. It is not uncommon for immigrants to liquidate their assets, potentially at a substantial loss, to be able to afford to move. Also, during immigration many individuals are without work and must find work once they get settled.
The majority of challenges associated with immigration deal with assimilating into life in the host country. Many immigrants take low wage jobs until they can adjust to society, gain housing, and obtain an education. Immigrants must learn a new way of life and become familiar with the language and laws of the host country. While many immigrants leave their home country to escape persecution, it is possible that they could face discrimination or even racism in the host country. The process of immigrating is not easy, but for many individuals staying in their home country does not provide them with a promising future. Most immigrants are willing to take risks and work hard to build a solid future even though the process can be challenging.