Emigration/Migration Patterns

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IntroductionImmigration has posed both cultural integration and economic challenges to the United States and Europe. In the United States there has been cultural diversity tolerance, however, the Americans overestimate the figure of immigrants into their country and they openly favour immigration in lower levels. Immigration was considered an economic need during the industrial boom era; however the effects being felt in the respective regions now warrantee cultural assimilation and selective immigration policies of immigrants. Immigration in EuropeThe immigration status in America is very different from the immigration status in Europe. America is considered as a land of cultural diversity due to the fact that majority of the population (natives excluded) are all immigrants. In fact immigration is always considered as America`s founding myth. Politicians and presidents alike have furthered this notion too. To legally immigrate to the United States of America one faced many challenges due to the immigration policies that were in place before 1960 (Most of these policies were based on ethnic prejudice).Europe, however, has got a different story. The continent did not rely on immigration to build or construct their national identities. The European nations use ethnic terms to describe and define themselves. Demographically, a fact especially as regards to Germany is that Germany has got a large population that is foreign born. The ethnic minority -even those present in Germany- do fit into the political system and hence this strengthens the saying that ‘Germany is not a country of immigration` (Hansen, 2007).The immigration experienced in Europe particularly after the World Wars was triggered or was a market driven economy. The European countries brought in ‘guest workers` from their colonies in order to provide the much needed labour. European countries soon afterwards however, pursued zero immigration policies -after the mid-1970s oil shock- and they also attempted to lessen population that was foreign born through voluntary and even forced returns. This had a devastating effect on them because in the 1990s the booming American economy created a shortage of skilled labour in the European market. The European countries now started approaching immigration from a different angle. The European relaxed their immigration policies and they approached immigrants through solicitising high-tech and professional workers. Demographically, a more positive orientation in the direction of immigration was considered. What the European continent came to realise was that the declining population rate on their continent could be solved by immigration. Furthermore, apart from experiencing low birth rates beyond the replacement levels the increased longevity meant that there was a possibility of shortfalls in the required resources for the funding of entrenched political programs.Push and Pull factorsMigration motives are as a result of two factors: the pull factors and the push factors. Push factors are present in countries that do encourage outflows. Some of the reasons given fro such outflows are the limitation in economic opportunities especially amongst the developing world. Low wages, unemployment and poor investment opportunities coupled with inadequacy in accessing credit and insurance systems. Most of the immigrants to the American west especially from the Asian continent and most of the developing world were pushed from their countries due to lack of employment or entrepreneurial opportunities. Taking the example of China, their industrial capabilities were being suppressed by dubious government policies. Policies that did not cater for the huge population of China but rather concentrated on keeping the country unique at the expense of the norm...