Introduction

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) adopts a more inclusive definition as those who have changed their habitual place of residence by moving across a border, regardless of length of stay. In some countries, internal migration is estimated to be eight or nine times larger than international migration. International organisations, particularly IOM and the World Bank, have played leading roles in promoting research that will inform the design of policy to maximise the benefits of international migration and minimise the risks. One could therefore argue that the higher-income countries where migrants migrate to experience the greatest, or at least a large proportion, of the developmental benefits related to a specific movement of people. While poverty has been experiencing a downward trend globally, income inequality has steadily been rising. Many reasons exist why a focus on inequality might be preferable to the more traditional one on poverty. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.