Theories of Refugee Migration and Migration to Britain

Abstract

Migration refers to the movement of people and in the context of this work, the concern is international migration, which is the movement of people across international borders. International migration is complex and can involve a number of interacting variables both at the individual level and the structural level. In Europe structural barriers, manifested through increased immigration controls, have gathered pace over the past few decades. These barriers affect access to countries of asylum and the actual migration process itself. Restrictions mean that it is more difficult to enter Europe legally as an asylum seeker. The consequence of border controls and visa restrictions has been the growth in the use of illegal migration routes facilitated by smugglers and traffickers. This necessarily limits the choices available to any potential migrant.