The disastrous repurcussions of the major world wars have included several civil conflicts which were then followed by ongoing widespread migration. Nowadays, wars are increasingly complicated and primarily related to international trade and development, however, the desire for certain countries to be considered superior has increased global pressures to respond to mass migration appropriately. Among these complexities is the reality of people moving from country to country in hopes of being rescued from violent outbreaks in their home countries. Others have traveled in search of ‘greener pastures’, to settle in countries that are economically and politically stable. In rarer cases, relocation is because of severe climate change effects, hence the new term ‘climate migration’. Evidently, the reasons for migration in the age of globalization are endless. However, the way in which the West welcomes and addresses displaced populations are often politically incorrect or discriminatory. This negative attitude has left migrants with a bad impression of their once idealized new country.

A major issue in society is the inability to distinguish between a migrant, a refugee, a stateless person, and an asylum seeker. These labels are used interchangeably and this remains a pertinent problem when addressing and interacting with foreigners. Many displaced people are simply seeking a fresh start in a peaceful country free from violence, uncontrollable natural disasters, or instability. Most migrants adapt to the incorrect labeling and frequent assumptions because the thought of returning to their home country is not a viable possiblity.

In general terms, a migrant is a person who moves from one place to another with intentions to stay permanently or temporarily, usually to find work or better living conditions. Thus, migrants move mainly for economic reasons. In several countries, if a migrant has a legal paid job or internship, their visas are provided by the government immigration or justice departments with minimal difficulty. They can extend said visas upon maintaining a good criminal and work record. These populations are protected under the national labor laws of the host country.

Moving forward, the convention relating to the status of refugees defines a refugee as ‘someone unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.’ Sadly, in some non-signatory countries, people cannot apply for refugee status because there are no national refugee laws. Some countries, like Indonesia, have taken extra efforts to promulgate a National Refugee Act. Approved refugee status remains a complex ordeal for several countries to provide because of the social and economic consequences it brings to an already overloaded government. For others, the challenges in accepting refugees involve the backlash from citizens protesting against the use of their taxes to support jobless foreigners. For example, in South Korea, some citizens protested against the government accepting refugees due to fear of religious intrusion when hundreds of Yemeni Muslims migrated to Jeju Island in 2018. However, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian organizations can be applauded for instigating and admonishing governments to grant or increase the number of refugee status applications that are approved.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of stateless people worldwide. By definition, a stateless person is someone who is ‘not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law.’ Usually, refugees are stateless. A typical example would be a child born into a refugee family who is staying in a country where they have not been given legal refugee status. This also applies to refugee families living in non-Hague signatory countries who had children in those countries. Hague countries refer to those nations that have neither signed nor ratified the United Nations Refugee Convention.

Finally, asylum seekers are those who flee their home countries to another and then request the right to be internationally protected in this other country. Distinctively, an asylum seeker is a type of migrant with no economic motivation – they could be a refugee or a displaced person. Once their asylum status has been approved, they usually have legal rights to work and receive certain benefits from the government.

No government has been able to prevent or stop the influx of people from other countries, whether they are migrants or asylum seekers. However, every government should educate their citizens on the key differences between these populations. A general understanding of international refugee law should be included in secondary school curriculums so that there is an increased understanding of new immigrants living or visiting their countries as well a respect for social integration. Many immigrants and refugees deal with stigmatization and disrespect by those who are ignorant of the background and cultural context of their individual situations.

I think that governments should ensure their citizens are aware of the reasons and types of migration in relation to their national history, as this will go a long way to foster empathy and build compassion. Inevitably, some people will never fully understand the plights of migrants or refugees, however, education is a good starting point. Xenophobic and racist attitudes towards foreigners exist largely because of misinformation.

Further, governments must explain the reasons for mass migration as well as emphasize the potential positive contributions to society. Several countries have thrived economically as a result of immigration and this growth could be accompanied by policies and laws which permit such foreigners to work and contribute to the growth of the economy and overall wellbeing. Most foreigners, regardless of their documentation type, are willing to share their skillset to benefit themselves and their host country. 

In conclusion, countries should ensure that open borders equate basic human rights and respect given to those entering the country. It is not beneficial for any party for refugees to be provided with accomodation yet denied the possibility to use their inert abilities or pre-acquired skills. Legal status accords respect and reflects dignity, thus, addressing those with appropriate labels will foster a culture of acceptance and respect. The relevance of migration in the age of globalization cannot be overlooked, thus, there should be intentional efforts to correct misconceptions of people relocating all over the world.