ABSTRACT
Migration takes so many forms and all these have their own challenges, constraints and motivation. In view of this, it is important to identify some of these travel constraints and also further identify the information channels used by some of the migrants and their perceptions about embassies. Against this backdrop, this study examined students‘ perception about how embassies influence destination choice, travel constraints and migration information channels on University of Ghana Campus. It specifically examined perception about how embassies influence destination choice and established preferred migration information channels. It also determined perception of potential migrants about travel constraints based on demographic profile of respondents. Drawing on the push pull and network theories of migration, the various factors motivating students to migrate were also examined. Using the case of students of University of Ghana campus, a simple random sampling method was used in selecting 114 students for the questionnaire survey and a focus group discussion was also conducted. The results indicate that majority of respondents have had an encounter with an embassy before via visa application. However, students‘ engagement with an embassy were not aligned to a specific sex, age group and level students were in the university. Respondents rated the rate of issuance of visas and the friendly attitude of staffs at the Chinese and Netherland‘s embassies very high as compared to the UK, USA and Canada, albeit majority of students preferred to travel to the UK and USA. With respect to respondents ‘preferred migration information channels, majority of respondents prefer travel agencies, online portals and family and friends as their information channels as compared to newspapers. Factors such as financial constraints, emerging immigration policies, family attachments, complex requirements and documentations of embassies and long distance to destination regions were some of the perceived travel constraints confronting students. Also, the results suggest that, how one perceives the various problems travelers encounter when migrating or travelling is not aligned with a specific sex, age or level of education on the university of Ghana campus. The study further established that factors such as employment opportunities, better living condition or other economic motives, existing peace and stability within destination countries, the need to experience social and cultural diversity, the need to further one‘s education and strong family ties are some of the reasons why students intend to migrate. Consequently, the study recommends the tailoring of appropriate travel packages by various travel agencies that will help in averting most of the travelling constraints confronting students.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
According to Okólski (2012), migration has been relatively classified as the most unpredictable phenomenon with which precise forecasting of the exact values of immigration flows is virtually impossible. The complexities of the migration phenomenon and problem have aroused the study of the phenomenon from a multi disciplinary approach. Disciplines from classical anthropology to economics, geography to sociology and economics have tried to explain certain aspects of migration with different theoretical backing. International migration has been analysed at the macro and micro level with the macro theories dealing specifically on structural conditions such as politics, economics, demographic, cultural, legal, or ecological. The micro theories on the other hand try to explain the theory at an individual level focusing on how structural conditions influence the decision-making and behaviour of individuals, families and groups.
With increasing levels of number of international migrants worldwide i.e from 232 million in 2013 to 244 million in 2015 (IOM Global Migration Data Analysis Center , 2015), issues of migration continue to surge. The United Nation Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) estimates that in 2010 there were some 214 million international migrants worldwide, representing three per cent of the total global population as cited by (IOM & UNDESA, 2012).
In 2000 Africa contributed an estimate of 16 million to the international migrant stock (UN, 2003). Contextual viewpoints of physical movements and settlement as against social imaginary (Gupta, 2016) could be reasons why migration continues to be the most unattended phenomenon with minimum attention. As part of efforts to curb the growing concern of the migration situation, Ghana launched the National Migration Policy in 2016 to help reap the benefits and provide a guideline in managing migration related issues. Beutin (2006), argues that migrant‘s perception could be altered based on the information they have. State and non state institution like embassies, travel agencies, family, friends and advocating groups can consciously contribute to the control of demand and
supply. A lot of scholastic work has been done on migrants‘ role as a decision maker in choosing a destination of choice. These theories have assumed that the process of ―choosing‖ and ―going‖ is a unilinear path without consideration for barriers and obstacles. There are challenges migrants have to face during this process of which some could be the attitude of embassy staff, the issuance of visa, the cost of travel, and the distance to destination among others. Because migrants‘ perception, constraints and policy have the tendency to affect each other. However, conglomeration of individual‘s decision has been theorized to mean they have assumed that the social process is simply the aggregation of individual decisions.
International migration is a growing phenomenon, both in scope and in complexity, affecting almost all countries in the world. The relationship between intentions and behaviour is basic to micro-level migration decision research. Migration has been relatively classified as the most unpredictable phenomenon that exists (King, 2002).The multi-disciplinary approach has several viewpoints contributing to its complexities. Studies conducted in rural Philippine province of Ilocos Norte, provides evidence on personal and structural background factors and value-expectancy perceptions of place utility that predict migration intentions and behavior (Dejong et al, 1986).
In the Ghanaian context, most of the tertiary students often travel to Euopean countries especially during the summer. Most of these travels are mostly based on family visits, family reunion, or to seek for temporal employment oppoutunities – often referred to as ―travel and work abroad‖. All these have social, politial, economic and cultural implications on the migration. For instance, some anecdotal evidence suggests that, the processes involved in the visa acquisition and other travel expenses are often tedious and expensive. Also, most travellers or potential migrants are confronted with several challenges or constraints.
Problem statement
Globally, almost all countries have ratified one or more international legal instrument (Seighart, 1983). Ghana not being an exception have ratified 6 major global legal instruments. Among these
instruments are the 1951 Refugee convention, 1967 Refugee protocol, the 1990 UN migrant worker convention and the 2000 Human trafficking and smuggling protocol.
According to Ghana youth policy (2010), youth in Ghana are face with increasing uncertainty in their hope of undergoing a satisfactory transition in the labour market and therefore rely on other avenues of which migration is one of the topmost among all other factors. With University of Ghana as a case study, approximately 5000 students graduate every year (UG online report, 2017) juxtaposed with current unemployment rate at 10 percent (ILOSTATS, 2016) have paid way for graduates and skilled personnel to rely on further studies at destination countries to better equip and train themselves to impact positively on their return. In their quest to migrate many faces a lot of uncertainty and disillusionment regarding embassies, travelling constraints and migration information channels on destinations.
However, several studies have focused on immigration rules and visa restrictions by various destination countries (Silvey, 2004; Haugen, 2012) without paying much attention on potential migrant‘s perceptions about embassies and their ability to grant visas to prospective applicants. By pointing ways in which conventional binary opposition like facilitators/ control/legal/illegal, perceptions/real are mutually constitutive to individual perception, the study seek to highlight some of the gaps enumerated and limitations of our understanding of international migration.
General objectives
To determine perception about embassies, travel constraint and preferred migration information channel amongst students university of Ghana (UG) Legon campus.
Specific objectives
- To find out potential migrants perceptions about embassies and their choice of destination.
- To ascertain potential migrants sources of migration information on their decision making.
- To examine potential migrants travelling constraints and motivation factors to the destination countries.
- To offer suggestions on how to formulate strategies to handle travelling challenges and perceptions about embassies.
Research questions
- What are migrants‘ perceptions about embassies that influence their destination choice?
- What are the sources of migration information channels?
- What are the travelling constraints and motivation factors do migrants have about destination countries?
- What are some of the recommendations necessary to increase travel demand?
Justification of study
In view of the strategic role migration plays in improving the status of the migrants and their left- behind families, any attempt to restrict one‘s movement through travelling and visa acquisition is worrisome. However, when it comes to visa application and acquisition, potential migrants views are strenuous especially the procedures one goes through in order to get a visa (Groenendijik, 2011).This create uncertainties coupled with fear anytime potential migrants have to face embassies to get visas.
Considering the above challenges, finance which happens to be a constraint of most travelers and migrants (Khan, 2011), becomes an intriguing aspect of this phenomenon since other wealthy individuals that would not consider finance as a constraint are yet discourage to travel. A critical study into migrants and potential migrant‘s perceptions about embassies and it related issues such as travelling constraints will help identify reasons that discourage people from travelling. Hence increasing demand for travel. This study will further identify some of the information channels used by migrants and travelers and their motivation to travel. As such relevant measures will be put in place to help mitigate the issues pertaining to travel with the aim of increasing travel demand.
Organization of the study
The work is grouped into five chapters. Chapter One which is the first chapter presents the background of the study, problem statement, objective of the study, research question, significance of the study and organization of the study. It is followed by Chapter Two, which include the literature review and relevant issues. Chapter Three identifies the methodology of the study. Here it presents the procedure for the data analysis, the study area, sampling techniques, data collection. Chapter Four shows results and discussion. Finally, Chapter Five presents a summary of findings, Conclusions and recommendation.
