Emigrants are often in search of economic security and a higher standard of living. The move may be permanent, establishing a new home and way of life for the family, or temporary. For example, an international company sends workers to a different branch for one or more months. Once the overseas duties are complete, emigrants return to a permanent residence and company job. Some emigrants who leave families in the home country will send money back home to care for household expenses.
Students emigrate to other countries in pursuit of better educational opportunities. The Institute of International Education published a report in November 2010 stating that, during the 2009-10 academic year, 690,923 international students attended U.S. colleges and universities, more than 18 percent of these students coming from China. After the students complete the education, some students return home while others set up house in the new country to help build the economy.
Civil unrest and governmental oppression cause individuals to emigrate from homes in hopes of a less stressful life or even to save lives. The individuals have to escape in haste, leaving most possessions behind and hiding out until there is a safe opening to sneak out of the country. At times, the country in which the individuals are seeking asylum sets up refugee camps that may not have the resources to help the influx of people. "Morbidity and Mortality Surveillance in Rwandan Refugees -- Burundi and Zaire, 1994" says, during the 1994 conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis, Tanzania housed 500,000 refugees.
Civil unrest and governmental oppression at times occur in conjunction with the persecution of select groups in the country. A persecuted citizen seeks political asylum in a country sympathetic to her plight. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the United States provides asylum to people emigrating because of persecution they face based on race, religion and membership to political and social groups. The U.S. government accepts applications for asylum no matter what a person's immigration status is.
Natural disasters plunge developing countries into economic and social recessions, leading to the emigration of citizens, according to "Migration, Development and Natural Disasters: Insights from the Indian Ocean Tsunami." The publication says places that experience repeated natural disasters undermine development. Depending on the severity of the natural disaster, residents may not even have a home. Man-made disasters, such as plant explosions, also cause people to emigrate from homes because of radioactive fallout. Emigrants may have to leave homes with only the clothes on the emigrants' backs.
