Push and Pull Factors in Migration: Why People Move

Push Factors

Conditions that drive people away from their home country:

• Economic: poverty, unemployment, low wages
• Political: war, persecution, lack of freedom
• Environmental: natural disasters, pollution
• Social: discrimination, crime

Pull Factors

Conditions that attract people to a new country:

• Economic: job opportunities, higher wages
• Political: peace, stability, democracy
• Environmental: favorable climate, quality of life
• Social: education, healthcare, religious freedom

Most migration results from a combination of push and pull forces.