World Migration Degree Global migration flows in directed networks

TL;DR

This paper analyzes global migration flows using network degree and weight distributions, classifying destination countries into distinct migration hub categories and revealing complex migration strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a network-based classification of countries based on migration degree and weight, highlighting diverse migration strategies and patterns.

Findings

Destination countries classified into three migration hub types.

Similar emigration patterns from source countries lead to different migration outcomes.

Migration strategies are complex and reflect diverse global migration behaviors.

Abstract

In this article we analyze the global flow of migrants from 206 source countries to 145 destination countries (2006-2010) and focus on the differences in the migration network pattern between destination and source counters as represented by its degree and weight distribution. Degree represents the connectivity of a country to the global migration network, and plays an important role in defining migration processes and characteristics. Global analysis of migration degree distribution offers a strong potential contribution to understanding of migration as a global phenomenon. In regard to immigration, we found that it is possible to classify destination countries into three classes: global migration hubs with high connectivity and high migration rate; local migration hubs with low connectivity and high migration rate; and local migration hubs with opposite strategy of high connectivity and low migration rate. The different migration strategies of destination countries are emerging from similar and homogenies pattern of emigration from source countries were similar network patterns were found for most of the countries. These findings, of similar behavior which creates different results is a complex phenomenon which represents the diverse nature of migration.