Introduction 

People have always moved abroad to find work or for educational purposes. In the Caribbean, persons move to countries such as U.S.A, Canada and United Kingdom as well as other countries. This flow of people is termed as migration.

Migration in its simplest form is the movement of people (or animal) from one place to another. When people move from one region to another, they migrate. Others may define migration as the movement of people from one place to another location in order to settle.

Migration may be internal or international, it may be temporary or permanent, or it can also be voluntary or involuntary. You may also see the terms in-migration or out-migration.

Key Terms:

Migration
Immigrant
Emigrant
Diaspora
Remittance

Types of Migration

There are various types of migration. Chiefly, these types can be classified as in-migration or out-migration.

In-migration or Internal Migration

This is the process of moving into another area in the country where you live. This form may also be described as internal migration. So when a person moves from one community to another or from the rural areas to the urban areas, there are practicing in-migration or internal migration.

Out-migration or International Migration

This is where a person moves out of their country to another country to reside. This may also be described as international migration. So moving from St. Kitts to New York is international/out-migration or moving from Jamaica to St. Kitts is international/out-migration.

Permanent Migration

This type of migration refers to persons moving from one location to another permanently. In essences, the move to the new location for good.

Temporary or Seasonal Migration

This form or migration occurs when person migrate for a short period of time. Sometimes for six months or in some cases until some form of work arranged is complete. For example, In Caribbean persons migrate to Canada during the apple-picking season to work on apple farms. This form of migration is usually for work related purposes for a short term.

Voluntary Migration 

Person who migrate to join relatives or to find a better quality of life for themselves or their children. So persons who move to find work or for school migrate voluntarily.

Involuntary or Force Migration

In some cases person migrate because they are in fear of their lives. This type of migration is described as involuntary or forced migration. Some countries may be experiencing wars, oppression or some form of disaster. This may cause people to move to locations where they feel safer.