International Migration

People have always migrated from place to place or country to country whether it is to escape hunger, drought, war or persecution or to search for stability, security or better living standards. The nineteenth century was a century of large scale migration, both within Europe, and from Europe to the New World - the USA and Canada. The Irish potato famine saw millions of people migrate to avoid starvation. In post war decades there was large scale labour migration from southern to north western Europe and from European ex colonies to help fill labour shortages and to escape unemployment or low incomes. These waves of international migration have changed the ethnic composition of many European countries. But in recent decades international migration has become a hot topic: whether its the migrants coming across the Channel in small boats,from the Middle East or across the Mediterranean from North Africa, or from various Latin American countries into the USA via Mexico. It has led to considerable political debate and electoral changes. But international migration is complex and there are a variety of push and pull factors. This episode looks at some of the major issues around the topic of international migration.