Migration is a response to the uneven distribution of opportunities over space. People tend to move from place of low opportunity and low safety to the place of higher opportunity and better safety. This create both benefits and problems for the areas, people migrate from and migrate to. Key among these consequences are:

Economic Consequences

• The source regions benefit from the remittance sent by migrants. Remittances from the international migrants are on the major sources of foreign exchange in India.

Social Consequences

• Migration leads to redistribution of the population across geographies. Age and skill selective migration results in adverse consequences for the source region, like distortion of demographic indicators (like sex ratio).

Social Change

• Migrants act as agents of social change. Through the exposure to foreign cultures, they are introduced to many progressive ideas, believes and technology.

Environmental Consequences

• Overcrowding of people due to international migration puts pressure on existing infrastructure, which ultimately leads to unplanned growth of urban settlements and formation of slums shanty colonies. It also leads to the depletion of natural resources due to over-exploitation.

The negative effects of international migrations are often overlooked in the face of the positives. However, it is the negatives that determine the long-term stability of both the source and destination areas.