AQA · A-Level · Geography
Course version: 7037 · Version from Sept 2018
International migration: refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants:…
Full specification wording
Population change: International migration: refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants: environmental and socio-economic causes, processes. Demographic, environmental, social, economic, health and political implications of migration.
International migration involves refugees fleeing persecution, asylum seekers awaiting legal recognition, and economic migrants seeking better living standards.
Checked against the AQA 7037 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 2
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
International migration involves refugees fleeing persecution, asylum seekers awaiting legal recognition, and economic migrants seeking better living standards. Causes are socio-economic, like poverty or conflict, and environmental, such as climate-induced droughts in the Sahel. Processes include step migration or human smuggling. The implications are vast: demographically, host nations gain working-age populations while origins suffer brain drain. Economically, remittances boost origin economies, but hosts may face wage depression. Socially and politically, migration can enrich cultures but also spark xenophobia and strain health services. Environmentally, rapid influxes can degrade local resources in refugee camps.
What earns the marks
- Distinguish between refugees (forced to flee due to fear of persecution) and asylum seekers (claimants awaiting refugee status).
- Explain socio-economic causes (e.g., wage differentials, conflict) and environmental causes (e.g., desertification, natural disasters).
- Evaluate demographic impacts, such as altering dependency ratios in both source (brain drain/ageing) and host (youthful influx) countries.
- Assess political and health implications, including pressure on host healthcare systems and the rise of nationalist political movements.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing refugees with asylum seekers.
Put it right: Specify that asylum seekers are awaiting legal confirmation of their refugee status.
Ignoring environmental causes of migration.
Put it right: Include climate change impacts like sea-level rise or drought as key drivers of displacement.
Focusing only on host country impacts.
Put it right: Ensure analysis covers implications for both the origin (e.g., remittances, brain drain) and host nations.
Exam tips
- Use specific contemporary examples, such as Syrian refugees or economic migrants in the UAE, to illustrate causes and impacts.
- Categorise implications clearly into demographic, economic, social, environmental, health, and political to ensure comprehensive answers.
- Discuss the 'processes' of migration, such as the role of intervening obstacles, border controls, and human trafficking networks.
Try the lesson
The start of the Population change: International migration: refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants: environmental and socio-economic causes, processes. Demographic, environmental, social, economic, health and political implications of migration. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following best describes an asylum seeker in the context of international migration?
Listen
International migration involves refugees fleeing persecution, asylum seekers awaiting legal recognition, and economic migrants seeking better living standards. Causes are socio-economic, like poverty or conflict, and environmental, such as climate-induced droughts in the Sahel. Processes include step migration or human smuggling. The implications are vast: demographically, host nations gain working-age populations while origins suffer brain drain. Economically, remittances boost origin economies, but hosts may face wage depression. Socially and politically, migration can enrich cultures but also spark xenophobia and strain health services. Environmentally, rapid influxes can degrade local resources in refugee camps. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Distinguish between refugees (forced to flee due to fear of persecution) and asylum seekers (claimants awaiting refugee status). Explain socio-economic causes (e.g., wage differentials, conflict) and environmental causes (e.g., desertification, natural disasters). Evaluate demographic impacts, such as altering dependency ratios in both source (brain drain/ageing) and host (youthful influx) countries. Assess political and health implications, including pressure on host healthcare systems and the rise of nationalist political movements. A common slip: Confusing refugees with asylum seekers. Instead, specify that asylum seekers are awaiting legal confirmation of their refugee status. Exam tip: Use specific contemporary examples, such as Syrian refugees or economic migrants in the UAE, to illustrate causes and impacts.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Refugees
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Asylum seekers
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Brain drain
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Refugees
- People forced to flee due to fear of persecution.
- Asylum seekers
- Claimants awaiting legal confirmation of their refugee status.
- Brain drain
- A demographic impact suffered by origin countries.
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