As they say in one old folk saying, the fish is looking for where it is deeper, and the man is looking for where it is better. In search of this most cherished “better life”, people often move not only to other cities, but also to foreign countries. Since the search for a more favorable place to live has been characteristic of mankind at all times, special terms have been coined for it: immigration, emigration and migration. Let's find out what they mean, how they differ and what advantages and disadvantages they have.
The meaning of the concept of "migration"
Before considering the difference between immigration, emigration and migration, it is worth understanding the essence of these concepts.
If we consider the phenomenon of migration not in the animal world, but in human society, then this term stands for the process of resettlement of the inhabitants of one settlement (place of residence) to another.
This word is derived from the Latin migratio, which translates as "moving". The term arose precisely in the Roman Empire due to the fact that there was a common occurrence for the resettlement of not just individual citizens, but even entire peoples.
People who change their place of residence for one reason or another are called migrants.
Causes
Before moving on to the topic “Immigration, emigration and migration: what is the difference?”, It is worth understanding the reasons that push people to resettle. And also focus on the pros and cons of such actions.
Although each individual person has their own, most of the reasons can be combined into several groups.
1. Economic. In simpler terms, the reason for such migrations is always money, or rather its lack. Usually from villages to large cities, and from poor countries to wealthier ones.
It is worth noting that not all the reasons for this category are always greedy. It often happens that a person's profession is not in demand in his region or is paid very poorly. And his family has to migrate to where there is a need for such workers.
By the way, it is precisely for economic reasons that in the modern world there is a constant migration and emigration of labor resources. Most often, specialists who are not in demand in their native lands are simply forced to move to big cities or foreign countries. However, they do not always want this.
2. Environmental. Such migrations are usually not single, but group. And sometimes not only a few families, but even entire cities are resettled. The reason for this may be some kind of environmental disaster (earthquake, flood, etc.).
One of the largest and most famous migrations (for environmental reasons) is the resettlement of residents of the cities of Pripyat and Chernobyl to other settlements due to the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986. Despite the fact that more than 30 years have passed since this event, these cities are still empty due to the extremely high level of radiation in them. 
Sometimes migrations for environmental reasons are caused by soil depletion or climate change in a given region.
3. Political and military. In this case, the resettlement, as a rule, also acquires a massive character.
They usually take place when active hostilities or terrorist attacks begin in the country, threatening the safety of civilians. Sometimes such migrations occur when the political regime changes or when religious persecution of non-Christians begins.
Advantages and disadvantages of migration
Like any action, migration has both good and bad sides.
First of all, once in a new city or country, migrants get a chance to start a new life and break with the past, sometimes very painful. When moving from a less developed to a more prosperous country, migrants also have the opportunity to improve their own standard of living and provide their children with a better future.
On the other hand, in a new place, as a rule, migrants are immediately automatically classified as second-class people and are often discriminated against. In addition, any migrant has fewer rights and freedoms than a native of this territory.
As for the city/country itself, where the population migrates, the fact that the nation is rejuvenated is considered a positive moment (since the age of migrants is usually 20-40 years). In addition, there are a large number of workers who are ready to do the same amount of work as the locals, but at a lower cost. This advantage is often used by various scientific institutions by importing qualified scientists from poor countries. 
On the other hand, a large number of cheap labor contributes to the fact that wages in the region are falling, and often the indigenous people themselves are forced to migrate in order to find work.
Also, many migrants do not have sufficient qualifications to earn an honest living. Because of this, in order to survive, they are forced to engage in robbery or prostitution.
In addition to all of the above, sometimes, once in a country with a good social base, migrants simply turn into drones living on taxpayers' money.
What types of migration are known
The process under consideration is divided into several types.
- internal migration. Resettlement occurs within a country or even within a single region. This type includes moving from a village to a big city, or vice versa.
- External. This is a move out of the country.
The second type of resettlement, in turn, is divided into two categories:
- Immigration.
- Emigration.
So, we turn to the consideration of the essence of the question posed at the very beginning of the article. "Emigration" and "migration" - the difference between the words at first glance is small, the difference is only one letter. But is it really so? Let's, as they say, dig deeper.
Emigration - what is it?
To better understand the difference between migration and emigration, it is worth knowing the meaning of the latter.
So, this term refers to the departure for permanent residence of a person or group of persons outside the country. Such people are called immigrants.
What is immigration
So, we already know what migration and emigration of the population is. But there is another term that also refers to the movement of people who change their place of residence.
Immigration is the process by which foreigners enter a country with the intent to stay and live there. Such persons, respectively, are called immigrants.
What is the difference between migration and emigration and immigration
Having dealt with the lexical meaning of all 3 terms, it is worth dwelling in more detail on the nuances. 
So what is the difference between immigration, emigration and migration?
The difference between the first and second word can be understood already on the basis of their definitions. Immigration is entry into a country, emigration is exit from it. However, these concepts are relative. For example, for the UK, a French family that moved to live here is an immigrant. However, for France they are emigrants.
Is it a kind of vicious circle? What is the difference between immigration, emigration and migration? All these words denote resettlement, only the first two concepts are types of external migration.
At the same time, migration is a broader concept and includes the two above. It turns out that if you call a person a migrant (settler), then it is still not known exactly where and where he moves from. And if you clarify that he is an emigrant, it becomes clear that he is leaving his country.
In addition, the concept of "migration" can be used in other areas. For example, in biology (migration of cells, plants, birds or animals), in economics (the so-called "migration of capital", "labor migration") or in physical and chemical disciplines (migration of energy, elements or seismograms).
