In the current migration crisis, the terms “migrant”, “refugee” and less commonly “asylum seeker” are used daily to mean one and the same thing. Each term, however, has a distinct meaning that carries different international obligations and consequences. If conflated, it can mean the difference between life and death.

So what are thoe differences?

Migrant

At its simplest, a migrant is someone who moves from one place to another in order to live in another country for more than a year. The International Organisation of Migration estimates that 232 million people a year become international migrants and another 740 million move within their own countries.

The are many reasons that people become migrants, but those who move to work or seek a better life are generally termed economic migrants. There are, however, also international students, those who move for family reasons and those who migrate because they are fleeing war and persecution. An individual case can be a mixture of all those things. It is, after all, possible to flee the war in Syria and want a better life for your family.

Migrants from outside the EU are subject to immigration controls and may need a visa to enter certain countries, including Britain. They do not have immediate access to social housing or benefits, but may have an eventual pathway to settlement and citizenship. They can also be detained or deported if they fail to comply with immigration laws. Just over 636,000 migrants arrived in Britain in the past 12 months, according to the latest figures, which included 25,000 asylum seekers.

Once migrants arrive in a country such as Britain there is little agreement over what the word covers. In the past “immigrant” has meant someone who intends to settle in a new country. “Migrant” has been increasingly adopted to cover those who come to work for a short period then return home. “The migrant population” is used to describe foreign nationals resident in a country, but also those who are foreign-born residents even if they have become citizens.

Refugee

A refugee is a person who has fled armed conflict or persecution and who is recognised as needing of international protection because it is too dangerous for them to return home. They are protected under international law by the 1951 refugee convention, which defines what a refugee is and outlines the basic rights afforded to them.

The convention’s basic principle is that refugees should not be expelled or returned to situations where their life and freedom would be under threat. Once someone has been recognised as a refugee, they are supposed to be given access to social housing and welfare benefits and helped to find a job and integrate into society. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) estimates that there are almost 60 million forcibly displaced people around the world, including those displaced within their own countries.

Asylum seeker

States are under international obligation to consider claims for asylum and not to immediately return asylum seekers to the countries they have fled from. The refugee convention states that they must be given access to fair and efficient asylum procedures and measures to ensure they live in dignity and safety while their claims are processed. In the UK in practice this means living in no-choice accommodation outside London and south-east England on a minimal level of social security.