From 2020 to 2025, Brazil saw a sharp increase in emigration, with net migration dropping from about +56,880 in 2020 to around -240,000 in 2023, meaning more people left the country than entered. This trend reflects growing emigration influenced by economic and social factors, likely continuing through 2024 and 2025.

Push Factors

Some reasons include low rural incomes due to limited landownership and climate instability, labor market challenges like informal work and low wages, historic economic stagnation, and entrenched regional inequalities.

Pull Factors

Some reasons people migrate to a specific country include the roles in construction (men) and domestic work (women) abroad. Higher wages specially in Europe countries like Portugal and Belgium and technological advances since there is a faster travel and communication ease relocation.

Country of destination asylum conditions

Portugal: Offers residency permits for work, family reunification, and asylum seekers (though most Brazilians enter via labor routes).

United States: Restrictive policies for asylum seekers; many Brazilians enter via temporary visas or irregular routes.

Japan: Revised immigration laws (1990) enabled Nikkei Brazilians to work, though recent policies remain selective

A brief story of an emigrant

Luciana, a young woman from the favela of Campo Roxo in southeastern Brazil. Growing up as the eldest of three daughters in a low-income neighborhood, Luciana faced significant educational and social barriers. Her mother, Angela, migrated from Brazil’s Northeast as a child for domestic work, while her father, Nelson, overcame many obstacles to eventually earn an MBA. Despite Luciana’s academic success she passed the university entrance exams—she could not afford to study in Brazil. Through a chance connection, she became an au pair in Germany, where her host supported her travel and language studies. Luciana’s migration was motivated by her desire for higher education and better opportunities, and she later helped her younger sister migrate for health and educational reasons.

References

Migration Policy Institute. (2018). Migration in Brazil: The Making of a Multicultural Society. https://www.migrationpolicy.org

EULAC Foundation. (2023). Assessment of Brazilian Migration Patterns and Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. https://eulacfoundation.org

BrazilInstitute.org. (2014). Brazilian Exodus: From the Countryside to the City. http://www.brazilinstitute.org

Britannica. (2024). Brazil - Migration, Urbanization, Population. https://www.britannica.com

SciELO México. (2008). Determinants of Migration in Brazil. http://www.scielo.org.mx

Semanticscholar. (n.d.-a). https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5405/d94e0a7228437433ae6c02ddce75c83870f6.pdf

Many Colombians leave their country because of low-paying jobs, violence, and lack of good services like healthcare and education. Political issues, high living costs, and problems caused by climate change also make life harder, pushing people to look for better opportunities elsewhere.

People often move to countries like the United States or Spain because they offer better job opportunities, higher wages, and a safer life. These countries usually have better healthcare, education, and living conditions. Some people also have family or friends there, which makes it easier to start a new life. Others are attracted by more freedom and stability, both in government and everyday life.

Countries like the U.S. and Spain offer asylum to people fleeing danger. Asylum seekers may get shelter, legal help, and basic support, but the process can be slow and not all are accepted. Conditions vary by country.

One well-known story is that of Carlos Vives, a Colombian singer and actor who moved to the United States to further his career. Born in Santa Marta, Colombia, Carlos grew up with a passion for music. In the 1990s, seeking greater opportunities and a bigger platform for his music, he moved to the U.S. There, he faced challenges adjusting to a new culture and language, but he worked hard and eventually gained international recognition. He became one of the biggest stars of Latin music, blending Colombian folklore with pop sounds. Today, Carlos Vives uses his platform to highlight the beauty of Colombian culture and the experiences of immigrants.

1.By the end of 2024 and January 2025 the number of ukrainian refugees has been registered of around 6.3 million around Europe, and 6.8 million around all the world. 

2. The huge amount of refugees coming from Ukraine is due to the invasion of the country by Russia.This conflict has caused around one third of the population to leave the country.

3. Ukranians immigrate mainly to Germany and other Western European countries. The reason they choose to is because of the Asylum-Seekers’ Benefits Act, that states that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution, beside this, in Germany there are many solidarity associations to provide help to refugees.

4.Normally, Ukrainians emigrated to Russia, Poland and Moldova, since those countries were close to Ukraine and it was easy to migrate. In addition Canada and the United States have also attracted many Ukrainians over the years. However after Russia attacked Ukraine the main countries that Ukranians migrated to were Poland, Germany, Czechia and in a smaller number, countries like the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. Germany and Poland offer good conditions for Ukraine immigrants since they offer temporary protection, offer employment for immigrants that need financial assistance., offer social benefits, give the opportunity to have a long term residence within the first 90 days, since they don’t need a Visa to stay, however after that they need to meet specific requirements to get approval form the employment agency to get a visa. Lastly, if Ukranians are interested in German citizenship they need to apply for a change of purpose of their residence permit and demonstrate the ability to support themselves.

5. The story of Alexandra, “Winter as a child was a time for great joy, winter with the war looks very different”. Alexandra was born in Kyiv in Ukraine. The morning of February 24, 2022 she woke up with fear and anxiety. Her boyfriend and her drove quickly to Uzhhorod, which is a city in western Ukraine on the Slovakia border, where they felt safer. Still the journey was physically draining, but the mental exhaustion was worse for them. In Uzhgorod they felt safe, but danger reached, when they realized that the alarms signalled danger and that the war was starting. Alexandra’s aunt lived near Munich and was able to host her. Security told her that she had an opportunity that not many people had. Two weeks after the war began, she felt safe in Germany. She wanted to live a normal life, so she applied for a job in the United Kingdom. “And despite living through hard times, it is most important to be positive. Positivity is what will allow us to overcome all of this.” Alexandra said this, to show all the people out there that are in a hard situation that positivity is the best solution to a problem, since you can look out for solutions or have some faith to overcome those problems.

6.

References:

Statista Research Department.(February 11,2025).statista. Retrieved from:https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312584/ukrainian-refugees-by-country/ 

Andrle J. (February 14,2025).People in Need. Retrieved from:https://www.peopleinneed.net/the-ukrainian-refugee-crisis-current-situation-9539gp#:~:text=Russia's%20full%2Dscale%20invasion%20of,the%20population%20has%20been%20displaced. 

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. (n.d.). Initial reception centre. https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/AsylFluechtlingsschutz/AblaufAsylverfahrens/Aufnahmeeinrichtung/aufnahmeeinrichtung-node.html

Amnesty International UK. (2025, April 1). The right to asylum. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/right-asylum​

https://visitukraine.today/pl/blog/3238/poland-extends-temporary-protection-for-refugees-until-2025-details#do-i-need-to-renew-my-documents-for-legal-stay-in-poland

Situation Ukraine refugee situation. (n.d.). https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine

Arrival: Important information for refugees from Ukraine. (n.d.). Berlin.de. https://www.berlin.de/ukraine/en/arrive/

Alexandra's Story | Ukraine Refugee Story | UK for UNHCR. UK for UNHCR. Retrieved from: https://www.unrefugees.org.uk/uk-unhcr-alexandra/

EY. (2024, December 17). Germany renews rules for permits under the Temporary Protection Directive. Retrieved from: https://www.ey.com/en_gl/technical/tax-alerts/germany-renews-rules-for-permits-under-the-temporary-protection-directive

Why Mexicans Leave

Category Push Factors at Home Pull Factors Abroad
Economic Stagnant wages, informal employment, regional unemployment spikes after COVID‑19, peso inflation eroding purchasing power Higher minimum wages, steadier formal jobs, stronger social‑safety nets (U.S., Canada, Spain)
Security Record homicide levels, extortion/kidnap hotspots in Guanajuato, Michoacán, Guerrero Safer neighborhoods, lower violent‑crime rates
Public Services Uneven healthcare quality outside major cities, school‑desertion surge post‑pandemic Universal healthcare (Canada, Spain), better‑resourced schools
Governance & Politics Perceived corruption, local‑level impunity, uncertainty around 2024 presidential transition More transparent institutions, predictable rule‑of‑law environments
Climate & Environment Severe droughts in the North (2021, 2023), hurricane damage along the Gulf and Pacific coasts Climate‑resilient infrastructure, disaster relief funds
Main Destinations (2020‑2024)
United States – still the default, with 86 % of Mexican emigrants. Work visas, family reunification, and increasingly asylum claims at the southwest border.

Canada – Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program expanded quotas; CUAET fast‑track pathways.

Spain – Easiest EU entry for Latin Americans.

Germany & the Netherlands – Tech/engineering talent draws since 2022.

Chile – Regional option for professionals, especially in mining and IT.

Asylum & Protection Pathways
U.S., Canada, and several EU states allow Mexicans to apply for asylum if they fear persecution or generalized violence. Applicants get temporary shelter, work authorization, and legal aid, but backlogs are large. Acceptance rates hover below 20 %, so most Mexicans abroad use work, study, or family visas rather than asylum.

A Recent Personal Story
María José “Majo” Ramírez was a nurse who treated COVID‑19 patients in 2020. Burned out, facing low pay, and worried by cartel shoot‑outs near her hospital, she accepted a 2022 recruiting offer from a Quebec health‑authority program. Landing in Montréal with basic French, she juggled language classes and night shifts, but within a year her salary tripled, she secured permanent residency for herself and her spouse, and she now mentors new Mexican nurses in Canada’s “Programme d’intégration.” Her story highlights how economic, security, and professional‑development motives intertwine for today’s Mexican emigrants.

2.-) Many people live comfortably in Russia. The country is offering many basic guarantees to its citizens, like free medicine and free education (including higher education for successful students). The cost of living is relatively low and there are some good career opportunities.

3.-) People emigrate to a specific country, or choose it as their destination, due to "pull factors," which are aspects that attract individuals to a particular place. These factors often revolve around opportunities for a better life, including economic, social, and personal benefits.This pull factors includes a higher wages, better employment opportunities, a higher standard of living and educational opportunities. If economic conditions are not favourable and appear to be at risk of declining further, a greater number of people will probably migrate to countries with a better outlook

4.-) The most common countries of destination for asylum seekers are often those with robust legal frameworks, well-established asylum systems, and a high capacity to provide protection. Some of the countries that are frequently cited as destinations for asylum seekers include Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the United States, Canada, and several countries within the European Union. Additionally, countries like Mexico and Costa Rica have also become prominent destinations for asylum seekers, especially from Central America. 

5.-) Monetochka, whose real name is Elizaveta Gyrdymova, fled Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to her opposition to the war. She was designated a “foreign agent” last year. Authorities in Russia use the “foreign agent” label to target individuals they view as enemies of the state. Those designated must prominently display disclaimers on their publications, including social media posts, and provide extensive financial disclosures to the government. Moscow investigators accused Monetochka of failing to label her online posts as required by law, an offense that carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. The request to press charges was made earlier this summer.