Immigration
Immigration refers to the act of entering or settling in a country where one is not native. Today, immigration has become a more common phenomenon. As modern travel becomes easier, many people are moving to other countries to escape poverty, improve their working prospects and increase their standards of living. People are often forced to leave oppressive political regimes, or they may also have to leave due to some level of persecution of religious beliefs. Many people move for better working options and may wish to settle in their new community; however immigration involves certain legal requirements which are determined by the country they wish to move to.
Initially they may only require a permit to obtain work, but further down the line there will be some requirement to prove identity and origin. This can be difficult if documents do not exist due to the nature of administration in the original country. If however, someone has been forced to leave a country quickly, without the necessary documentation, they may find that they are, in effect, stateless. This often means that their legal rights in a new country are reduced or suspended until their identity and status can be confirmed.
Many countries have immigration quotas in place to try and control the levels of immigrants, and many immigrants will not be allowed to enter a country unless they can prove that they have jobs to go to, or that they can be supported by people, such as relatives, other than the state. Recent figures suggest that there may be as many as two hundred million migrants around the world, with Europe being their main destination.
