What does immigration mean?
Immigration is the act or process of people entering a country to live there permanently, particularly when they are not already citizens. The term is used in legal and administrative contexts when discussing visas, residence, and admission, and in social and political contexts when describing the effects of newcomers on communities, populations, and public services. It can refer to an individual journey, as in applying for immigration to a particular country, or to a wider pattern of population movement and settlement. The word is distinct from emigration, which describes leaving a country. Because immigration policies and the experiences of immigrants are closely connected, the term is often debated in public life; its use should therefore be precise and should distinguish factual descriptions of movement from judgments about migrants or immigration itself.
nounThe act or process of entering a country to live there permanently, especially by people who are not citizens of that country. In policy and social contexts, it also refers to the arrival and settlement of people from abroad more generally.
- The act or process of entering a country to live there permanently.
- The arrival and settlement of people from abroad as a social, demographic, or political phenomenon.
"The town has experienced significant immigration in recent years, with many families moving there for work and education."
"She applied for immigration to Canada after graduating from university."
"The committee debated the effects of immigration on housing and public services."
The plural is possible but uncommon; immigration is normally used as an uncountable noun.
"The article compares several historical immigrations and their effects on urban communities."
Immigration is movement inward: the word combines the Latin prefix in- with migrate, while its opposite, emigration, points outward.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does immigration come from?
Immigration is an English noun formed from immigrate, which comes from Latin immigrāre, meaning “to move into” or “to enter.” The Latin verb combines the prefix in- (“into”) with migrāre, meaning “to move” or “to depart from a place,” the same root found in migrate, migration, and emigrate. The English form became established in the 17th century and originally referred to the act of entering a new country or place, before acquiring its modern emphasis on settlement and legal or political status.
Related word forms
How immigration is actually used
Often used in political, legal, and demographic contexts. In the sense of entering to settle permanently, it is commonly uncountable; plural forms are much less usual than the uncountable noun.
Easily confused with immigration
Immigration is movement into a country, whereas emigration is movement out of one.