Lesson video

Hi, geographers, my name's Miss Hoggett, and I'm really excited you're here to learn some geography with me today.

I'm sure if you try your best, you're going to be absolutely fantastic.

Don't worry too much if you haven't studied this topic before.

I'm here to help you every step of the way.

The title of today's lesson is Migration in the Middle East, and this sits within the unit, the Middle East, how have natural resources shaped the Middle East? Our learning outcome for today is that I can explain the causes and impacts of migration in the Middle East region.

To help us through today's lesson, there's a number of keywords that are going to be really useful to us.

Migration, voluntary migration, forced migration, economic migrant and refugee.

Migration is the movement of people from one place to another.

Voluntary migration is when people choose to move often for work or lifestyle.

Forced migration is when people have to move often due to war or natural disasters.

An economic migrant is a person who moves to another place for job opportunities, and a refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country due to conflict or persecution.

So migration, voluntary migration, forced migration, economic migrant and refugee, are the key words that are going to be really useful to us in today's lesson.

This lesson is split into two learning cycles.

The first one, causes of migration in the Middle East and the second, migration experiences in the Middle East.

We're going to start with the first one now, causes of migration in the Middle East.

Over time, the Middle East and North Africa have seen an increase in the amount of migration, particularly as we can see on the graph for the last 10 years.

This graph shows us net migration in the Middle East and North Africa between 2014 and 2024.

We can see over time that the net migration to the region has fluctuated, but if we look from 2014 to 2024, we can see that overall net migration has increased and that's shown by the purple jotted line.

Net migration is a calculation of people moving in, minus people moving out and that equals net migration.

So which of the following statements is correct? Is it A, migration to and within the Middle East and North Africa has increased? B, migration to and within the Middle East and North Africa has stayed the same.

Or C, migration to and within the Middle East and North Africa has decreased.

Pause the video and have a go at answering this question.

Well done if you said A, that migration to and within the Middle East and North Africa has increased.

Well done, geographers.

Now a lot of people choose to move to another place and this is what we call voluntary migration.

I'd like you to pause the video in just a moment and have a think, can you think of any push factors that might make people want to leave a place and any pull factors that would attract them to a new place? Pause the video now and have a think.

Now, there can be lots of push and pull factors encouraging people to want to move to a place but also about wanting to leave.

And in the Gulf States such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, voluntary migration is really common because there are lots of pull factors.

So let's have a think then, what is attractive about moving to these places specifically? Pause the video and have a think.

Sofia says, well, "These places are wealthy, developing fast and therefore have high numbers of jobs." And she's absolutely spot on, places like the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are very popular with people all over the world.

So we know that there are lots of pull factors attracting people into that place.

People are drawn to these places, particularly for work.

People who move for work are what we call economic migrants.

An example of this voluntary economic migration is to Qatar when the FIFA World Cup was held in 2022, we can see an image of the FIFA World Cup on the screen.

1.

5 million people, commonly those from South Asian countries such as India, Nepal and Bangladesh moved to Qatar to help build the infrastructure needed for the World Cup.

They built stadiums, roads, and hotels, all of the infrastructure that was needed to support the World Cup.

Why do you think people went to Qatar for these jobs though? Why do you think they didn't find something more local to them? Pause the video and tell the person next to you.

There are lots of benefits of voluntary economic migration and these can include things like experiencing a different climate.

Now, moving to a new country often means living in a place with a climate that you are not used to.

For example, if you're moving from somewhere that's really cold and rainy to somewhere like Dubai, you're going to experience a warmer and sunnier climate.

Now, a warmer climate can offer a more outdoors lifestyle, including beaches, parks, and barbecues, health benefits for some people such as those joint problems and a positive change in mental wellbeing for people who prefer the sun and the warmth.

Whilst this very much can be a benefit then it is important to note that not everyone finds hot climates easy and extreme heat could also be a challenge that we're going to touch on in a bit more detail later.

Another benefit could be better pay.

Now, many people move abroad because they can earn more money than in their home country, even when doing the same type of job.

Some countries offer much higher wages or skilled workers like engineers, nurses, or IT professionals.

If you have better pay, you can send money home to support your family, that's something known as a remittance.

You could also save more for the future and you could improve your quality of life with better housing or healthcare, for example.

Likewise, voluntary economic migration can offer better opportunities for families.

This is because they might be able to have a fresh start with chances for success.

So for example, their children might be able to access better schools and universities.

Healthcare services may be more modern or affordable.

There might be more career choices or training for adults and there might be a safer or more stable place to live.

This is especially important for parents who want a better future for their children.

And lastly, some countries like the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai, offer tax free income, meaning workers don't have to pay income tax on their earnings.

This means that workers can keep more of the money they earn and it's safer to save or invest for the future.

Now, life can become more affordable, especially in places where the cost of living is reasonable.

However, it's important to remember that some services like healthcare or education might need to be paid for separately in those countries.

So whilst you're not paying tax, you then do have to pay to see a doctor or to access education.

So, there are different ways of viewing it, but some people see tax free zones as a real benefit.

It's not just from South Asian countries though that people move for voluntary migration.

Some people from the UK migrate to places such as Dubai as it can offer things like higher salaries, tax free living, a warmer climate and modern infrastructure.

So voluntary migration can happen from anywhere in the world.

So what is the term given to people who want to move to a new country for job opportunities? Is it A, employee migrant, B, employer migrant, or C, economic migrant? Pause the video and have a go at answering this question.

Well done if you said C, economic migrant, that's spot on.

Now, not all migration is voluntary.

Sometimes people have no choice but to leave their homes, and this is what we call forced migration.

Now, the Middle East to see many conflicts, some over natural resources.

Millions of people have had to leave their home because of war, danger or persecution.

In recent years, more people have moved within the Middle East for these reasons than people who have moved in for voluntary reasons.

So we can see that forced migration is a massive driver of that movement of people.

For example, the Syrian Civil War has caused over 13 million Syrians to leave their homes.

5 million of those people fled to countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, all of which are in the Middle East.

And many people live in refugee camps.

So true or false? Migration can be both forced and voluntary.

Pause the video and have a go at answering this question.

Well done if you said true.

We know that voluntary migration happens when people decide they want to move, whereas forced migration is when people feel they have to move.

Absolutely spot on, geographers.

So we're going to practise what we've learned so far and for task A there is two separate parts.

For part one, I would like you to determine whether the statements below are examples of forced or voluntary migration.

So the statements are A, I moved to Dubai for a job as an architect.

B, I fled Syria due to conflict in my town.

C, I decided to join my family already living in Qatar.

D, we escaped war in Yemen to find safety in Saudi Arabia.

And E, they moved to Abu Dhabi to earn money for their family in India.

So you need to decide whether they are statements showing forced or voluntary migration.

And for part two, I'd like you to write a paragraph to respond to Jacob's statement.

Jacob says, "Everyone has a choice about where they live." So pause the video and have a go at completing these two parts to practise task A.

Good luck, geographers.

Well done if you gave that a really good go, let's check your answers.

So for part one, we needed to determine whether the statements below were examples of forced or voluntary migration.

So for A, I moved to Dubai for a job as an architect, that would be voluntary because they've chosen to move.

For B, I fled Syria due to conflict in my town that would be forced because they had no choice but to move.

C, I decided to join my family already living in Qatar is voluntary.

D, we escaped war in Yemen to find safety in Saudi Arabia, forced.

And E, they moved to Abu Dhabi to earn money for their family in India, that's voluntary.

So we have three voluntary statements and two forced statements.

And then for part two, you needed to write a paragraph to respond to Jacob's statement.

Now, your answer might have included something similar to this.

Not everyone has a choice about where they live.

In the Middle East, many people are forced to leave their homes because of war or conflict, like in Syria.

This is called forced migration and it means they have no choice but to move to stay safe.

Others move for better jobs or living conditions, which is voluntary or economic migration.

For example, people from countries such as the United Kingdom, might move to places like the UAE or Qatar to work and live a life with more opportunities.

So, not everyone gets to choose, some move by choice, but others are forced to.

Well done, geographers, I'm sure you've done fantastically in your first practise task.

We've now come to the end of learning cycle one and we're ready to move on to learning cycle two.

To understand the migration experiences in the Middle East.

Now, we can learn a lot from people's personal experiences of migration in and out of the Middle East.

So we we're going to look at two examples and our first example is from Sarah.

And Sarah has chosen to move from London to Dubai for work.

Sarah moved to Dubai to work as a marketing manager for a global company, and she said, "I moved to Dubai for the job of a lifetime.

I get to travel, work in a modern office and I earn more than I did in the UK.

The weather is amazing and life is fast-paced.

The opportunities here are too good to miss." Sounds like a really good opportunity that Sarah's had being able to move to Dubai.

So true or false? Sarah is providing an example of forced migration.

Pause the video and have a go at answering that question.

Well done if you said false.

We know that Sarah decided to move to Dubai for work.

Therefore, Sarah's experience is one of voluntary economic migration.

Well done, geographers.

Now, Sarah has experienced several benefits of moving to Dubai.

She has a tax free income, so she doesn't have to pay tax.

There's a warm climate there.

It has really good travel opportunities because Dubai has really close connections to Europe, Asia, and Africa.

There's a really modern lifestyle with really modern infrastructure.

The living conditions there are fairly safe and it allows her to develop in her role, which means she can also experience personal growth, particularly with moving overseas.

But Sarah also says, "Sometimes I miss the simple things from home, cool weather, walking in the park and seeing my family.

Life in Dubai is exciting, but it can also feel lonely and very different from London." Now, this highlights some challenges that she faces.

So one of those challenges is the warm climate.

Now, you might be thinking, but we just said that was an opportunity and you are absolutely spot on.

Yes, it's lovely to spend some time in the sun, but sometimes people can find this a bit tricky, particularly when they're used to something cooler.

Homesickness and missing family, cultural differences and lifestyle changes.

Now she says that she misses walking in the park.

So yes, there's lots of brilliant infrastructure as we just mentioned, but it does mean that she doesn't always have the opportunity to go and walk in nature.

So let's check your understanding.

Now, we know that Sarah has moved to Dubai from London for work.

I'd like you to pause the video and tell the person next to you one challenge of Sarah's migration to Dubai, but also one opportunity.

Pause the video and have a go at answering this question.

Well done if you gave that a really good go.

So let's look at the challenges to start with.

So you could have said something along the lines of the warm climate or the fact that she might experience homesickness and missing family, cultural differences or lifestyle changes.

But in terms of opportunities, you might have said the warm climate again, or tax-free income, travel opportunities or the modern lifestyle.

So we know that there are challenges and opportunities when people choose to move overseas for work.

But we're now going to meet Ahmed and he's a teenager from Syria.

When the war broke out, his home was destroyed and his family had to move.

They now live in a refugee camp in Jordan.

Now, refugee camps are temporary places set up to provide shelter, safety and basic needs like food, water, and medical care to people who've had to leave their homes due to conflict, natural disasters or persecution.

And you can see some examples of some Middle Eastern refugee camps in the images.

Now, refugee camps can offer immediate protection from danger, essentials such as food, clean water and medical help and education and support services.

Unfortunately, though, they can also be overcrowded with limited resources.

They can be really difficult to move out of and they lack long-term opportunities for people.

So again, there are opportunities and challenges of this types of migration.

Ahmed says, "Life in the camp is hard.

It's meant to be temporary, but we've been here a while.

It feels like we don't have a proper home.

I miss school, my friends and my neighbourhood.

I know I'm safe now, but I hope that one day I can go back to Syria." So let's take a think then.

What type of migration is Ahmed's story describing? Is it A, forced, B, economic or C, voluntary? Pause the video and have a go at answering this question.

Well done if you said A, forced.

We know that Ahmed had no choice but to move from Syria to Jordan, and therefore it's an example of forced migration.

So we are now going to practise what you've learned following these migration experiences in the Middle East.

And on the screen you can see that you have an opinion line with a statement that says, "Migration always brings more opportunities than challenges." So there are three parts to this task.

The first is that you need to place a cross on the line representing your opinion.

Do you agree or do you disagree with that statement? It's okay if you're somewhere in the middle.

Then, you need to state your opinion.

So write a statement saying whether you agree or disagree or partly agree with the sentence on the screen.

And then you need to justify your opinion.

So explain why you have the opinion that you do using examples and evidence to back up your point.

So pause the video and have a go at completing this practise task.

Good luck, geographers.

How did you get on? Let's check what your answer might have looked like.

So the first thing I needed to do was place a cross on that opinion line in response to, "Migration always brings more opportunities than challenges." I placed my cross right in the middle, because I think it provides opportunities and challenges in equal measures.

Then you needed to state your opinion and justify that so you could have written something similar to this.

I partly agree with the statement that migration always brings more opportunities than challenges.

In some cases, like voluntary migration, people move because they want to improve their lives.

For example, many skilled workers from countries like the United Kingdom move to countries in the Middle East such as the UAE or Saudi Arabia to get better jobs and earn more money.

This gives them and their families more opportunities such as better education and living standards.

However, in cases of forced migration such as the Syrian refugee crisis, people have no choice but to leave their homes due to war or danger.

These migrants often face many challenges like living in overcrowded refugee camps, having limited access to healthcare and education and struggling to find work.

Host countries like Lebanon and Jordan also face pressure on their resources and services.

So, while migration can bring opportunities, especially when it's planned and voluntary, it can also cause serious problems, especially when it's forced.

Therefore, I don't fully agree that it always brings more opportunities than challenges.

Now, you might have had a slightly different opinion to me in your response, and that's absolutely fine as long as you've used those examples and addressed both forced and voluntary migration within your answer, I'm sure you've done a fantastic job.

Geographers, you've engaged so well in today's lesson, I'm really impressed.

But we are now ready to reach the end of the lesson and summarise what we've learned.

So in summary, the Middle East is a major source and destination for migrants.

Migration in the Middle East can be both voluntary and forced.

The Gulf States are a major destination for international migrants, especially from South Asia.

War has been a major cause of forced migration.

And migration stories reveal the personal impacts of conflict, work and opportunity across the Middle East.

You've been absolutely fantastic, geographers.

I hope you have a lovely rest of your day, and I will see you soon for our next lesson.