How Migration Really Works

An authoritative guide to global migration that corrects decades of misunderstanding and misguided policy 

Are borders beyond control? Are immigrants taking away jobs? Or do we badly need immigrants to boost growth and innovation? Today’s debates about immigration are often guided more by myths than by facts. 

Drawing on three decades of research, migration expert Hein de Haas destroys the myths that politicians, interest groups, and media spread about immigration. He reveals: 

• Global migration is not at an all-time high 
• Climate change will not lead to mass migration 
• Immigration mainly benefits the wealthy, not workers 
• Border restrictions have paradoxically produced more migration 

Ultimately, de Haas shows migration not as a problem to be solved, nor as a solution to a problem, but as it really is.  

This book is an essential guide to one of our most divisive political issues, showing how we can move beyond today’s deeply polarized debate and make migration work better for everyone.