Expatriates are the same as migrants, right?.... NO!

In a general definition, and according to the UN Convention on the Rights of Migrants, "The term 'migrant' in article 1.1 (a) should be understood as covering all cases where the decision to migrate is taken freely by the individual concerned, for reasons of 'personal convenience' and without intervention of an external compelling factor."1 Sometimes this term is used in a pejorative sence, since most migrants are people coming to big states, such the United States, in order to reach a better life, through a better paid job.

On the other hand, Expatriate is mostly refered to "A person who has citizenship in at least one country, but who is living in another country. Most expatriates only stay in the foreign country for a certain period of time, and plan to return to their home country eventually, although there are some who never return to their country of citizenship"2 In this sense, many people use "expatriate" when refering to those people who enjoy traveling and are adventorous, so they go from one country to another looking for experience.

Keeping up with the first debate, why is it a discriminative separation of these two words? Actually tradition is the one who has stablished this difference, because from many years ago migrants are labeled as desperate and unsophisticated people that have the need to go to a different country and start over again. Meanwhile, expatriates are albeled just leave their home country to improve skills or for pleasure. Therefore, it is important to note that the use of these terms in a differentiated way is not something intentional; just usual by traditional language.

Finally, the point of writing this post is not to create a strong debate or make a referendum over who is right or wrong, and why. But to bring out the common definition of these words, very usual in our daily life; specially now that we live a every-day-more-globalized world.


References:

1. Measures to improve the situation and ensure the human rights and dignity of all migrant workers. 1998. Report of the working group of intergovernmental experts on the human rights of migrants submitted in accordance with Commission on Human Rights resolution 1997/15. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-fourth session, Intergovernmental working group of experts on the human rights of migrants.

2. Business dictionary.com (2010). Retrieved on February 25th, 2010, on: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/expatriate.html