Glossary:Migration
Migration refers to the number of migrants, people changing their residence to or from a given area (usually a country) during a given time period (usually one year).
Immigration is the action by which a person establishes his or her usual residence in the territory of a Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months, having previously been usually resident in another Member State or a third country (Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Migration and international protection).
Immigrant is a person undertaking an immigration.
Emigration is the action by which a person, having previously been usually resident in the territory of a Member State, ceases to have his or her usual residence in that Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months (Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Migration and international protection).
Emigrant is a person undertaking an emigration.
Net migration is the difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants. In the context of the annual demographic balance however, Eurostat produces net migration figures by taking the difference between total population change and natural change; this concept is referred to as net migration plus statistical adjustment. The statistics on 'net migration plus statistical adjustment' are therefore affected by all the statistical inaccuracies in the two components of this equation, especially population change. From one country to another 'net migration plus statistical adjustment' may cover, besides the difference between inward and outward migration, other changes observed in the population figures between 1 January in two consecutive years which cannot be attributed to births, deaths, immigration and emigration.
Crude rate of net migration plus statistical adjustment is the ratio of net migration plus statistical adjustment during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1 000 inhabitants.