Exploring the Impacts of Migration on Iranian Students Well- Being

Introduction

International Organization for Migration defines migration as movement of individuals or a group across countries and within a single country [1]. The movement can be temporary, seasonal, permanent due to various reasons including economic, environmental, family, and political. Emigrants are the people who leave a country while immigrants are those who arrive in a country [2]. Migration is one of two factors that drive population change [3]. It is a selective process that always requires change and adjustment on the part of the individual migrant .More important, when migration occurs with any appreciable volume [4].

It may have a significant impact on the social, cultural, and economic structure of both donor and host regions. Due to their potential impact, patterns of migration are harbingers of social change in a society [5]. The impacts of immigration have been felt in areas ranging from jobs, education and housing through to language, diet and the arts. The combined social, economic, political and cultural implications of immigration have frequently been assessed as a whole and also in their discrete parts [6]. A lot has happened in migration in the last two years since the release of the World Migration Report 2018 in late 2017 [7]. Overall, the estimated number of international migrants has increased over the past five decades. The total estimated 272 million people living in a country other than their countries of birth in 2019 was 119 million more than in 1990 (when it was 153 million), and over three times the estimated number in 1970 (84 million) [1]. While the proportion of international migrants globally has also increased over this period, it is evident that the vast majority of people continue to live in the countries in which they were born. More than 40 per cent of all international migrants worldwide in 2019 (112 million) were born in Asia [8]. United Kingdom and Germany with up to 2% of the world’s population living outside of their country of birth, the potential impact of population mobility on health and on use of health services of migrant host nations is increasing in its importance [9]. The process of the international movement and the back-and-forth transitioning between differential risks environments has significance for the management of infectious diseases in migrant receiving areas [10].

The other significant to study migration is mass migration cause demographic changes that lead to balancing of localities where it faces over population or lead to depopulation in some other origins. Also, it may cause of the high rate of unemployment [1]. The other importance study migration is changes of family structure. The long term absence of family members forces the redefinition of the role-division in the family. In consequences, usually because of the migration of the male, it is women who manage the home affairs. The result is an increase in the power and role of women in the family structure. In addition, these trends seriously influence the harmony of marital status [2].

Yet, to date, there is limited research and information available that describes Iranian immigrants’ health status and migration outcomes [11]. According to the non-official report of Iranian embassy in Malaysia, more than 70,000 Iranians are living in Malaysia, which it seems to be doubled yearly in past five years. Moreover, this statistic includes around 14,000 academic students and around 100 lecturers [12].

Remittances are economic effects of migration. Remittances brought by migrant workers in legal and illegal situation and settlement problem of the systemic transformation. Therefore, the scale of financial flows is significant [3]. The present study including interviews with Iranian students in UPM (University Putra Malaysia) to illuminate immigration status influences students’ well- being. This paper, however, focuses primarily on the social and cultural aspects of this phenomenon.

Review of Literature

Most of the studies published on this topic were conducted English speaking countries, except for some studies was conducted on Iranian people, which focused on only the impact of immigration on health and social problems. Articles with adequate information on the effects of migration on social, cultural, economic and health problems. The countries hosting the largest population of Iranian were German (39,904), The United State (20,541), Iraq (9,500), the United Kingdom (8,044), The Netherlands (6,597), and Canada (6,508) [9]. Studies in this area have documented that “Migration raises of cardiovascular disease [4]. The deterioration of women’s health status has been related to many factors, such as, the uprooting period, differences in culture, lack of language skills, loss of extended family and a supportive community, change of economic and social status, discrimination and intolerance, and parenting dilemmas [13]. To these factors must be added the poor access to appropriate health care and inability to negotiate health care needs [6]. This may result in delays in seeking care.

Several large immigrants groups in Sweden have a significantly higher risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease than people born in Sweden. For the dissertation, elderly Iranians in Sweden compared risk factors for cardiovascular disease who had immigrated to Sweden with risk factors in Iranian in Iran. A total of 1200 men and women aged 60-84 years participated in studies. Participants in both Sweden and Iran were interviewed in detail about topics, such as exercise and food habits, smoking, health and quality of life [14]. Previous study show that migration to Sweden results in raised risk of cardiovascular disease Iranian men in Sweden. Among women, the risk is twice as high in Sweden as in Iran. This indicated that immigrants have adopted more western life style, including both advantageous and disadvantageous habits that effect health [15].

Quality of life did not get worse after the more to Sweden. But it’s not easy to adapt with a new set of norms, values and habits in a new country, so it was surprising to find that migration affects the older Iranians physically more than mentally. An Iranian woman in Sweden reported that her husband did not allow her to go to work or attend classes. Consequently, she divorced him to maintain her dignity and mental wellbeing [16]. Pre migration stresses, language barriers, unemployment, lack of information about health services, social isolation, experience of discrimination, cultural shock as well as intimate partner violence can adversely affect wellbeing and mental health of Iranian immigrants [17]. Limited knowledge of health care services is another obstacle that Iranian immigrants often faced upon arrival to their host countries. Lacks of awareness of health care services can delay and inhibit health care-seeking activities, and is likely exacerbate existing conditions [11, 18].

In some countries such as Canada, immigrants are provided with many forms and pamphlets about daily living needs including information about available health services [19].

In some cases, these resources have been described by Iranian immigrants as being too long and difficult to understand. Accesses to health care services are critical in addressing mental health problems of immigrants [20]. Confusion and lack of information about the health care system resulted in increased mental problems for immigrants [9].

At the same time, evidence suggests that migrants from countries with high prevalence of certain infectious diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis B are disproportionately affected by these diseases (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control [21]. Parallel trends in cross- sectional study in South Africa reported that, being the partner of a migrant was not significant risk factors for HIV infection among women; significant risk factors were reporting more than one current regular partner, being younger than 35 years and having STD symptoms during the previous 4 months. High rates of HIV were found among rural women, and the migration status of the regular partner was not major risk factor of HIV. Rural women lack access to appropriate prevention interventions, regardless of their partners’ migration status [10].

Most investigators acknowledge that care, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS in immigrants are influenced by a wide range of social, cultural and political factors. Immigrants bring with them not only their disease profiles, but also their socio-demographic and cultural backgrounds [22]. The final conclusion of this survey provided for mentioned to the high importance of migrants need to adequately in screening programmers, vaccination and treatment disease to increase their wellbeing.

Methodology

In the present immigration study, Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. An interview method approach was appropriate for this exploratory research. Importantly, maintaining anonymity and confidentiality were paramount ethical considerations involved in conducting research with these populations. It elicited detailed information from migrants to answer the research questions. The research comprised 7 interviews with UPM student’s emigrants. The qualitative research explored settlement experiences from the perspectives of migrants, to identify the factors that influence settlement outcomes for migrants located in the area of kualaLumpur. The research objectives were to: • Identify facilitators and barriers to positive settlement experiences and outcomes.

• Describe how settlement experiences impact on the wellbeing of migrants. Identify strategies for positive settlement of migrants in future. Question Schedule The discussions were semi-structured and enabled participants to explore issues as they arose. Questions asked during interview with students in malaysia 1. How have migrants to Malaysia experienced settlement? 2. How has settlement affected the wellbeing of migrants?

Results

The qualitative research findings are discussed below, structured by the research questions. Verbatim quotes from participants are presented. Some participants had limited English language proficiency. In these cases the quotes have not been adjusted or edited for grammar or clarity as it was important to retain the meaning and tone of participants’ own words.

Discussion

In this qualitative research, we have highlighted the challenges that International Students immigrants encounter during resettlement in Malaysia, and discussed the impact of associated negative experiences on their health and wellbeing. Findings are consistent with the literature review’s identification of key factors that influence settlement for migrants. Critical influences on the settlement experience, highlighted both in the literature and in this qualitative research.

This research found it was common for non-sponsored migrants in Malaysia to have difficulties finding suitable employment, especially in the early stages of settlement. This was the case for both humanitarian and skilled migrants. While humanitarian migrants faced significant employment barriers due to low English language proficiency (a fundamental problem for the migrants in this research), many skilled migrants also experienced challenges in securing jobs appropriate to their qualifications and skills. A lack of recognition of overseas qualifications and prohibitive registration requirements for professions and trades, leading to underemployment of migrants, was a widespread concern among migrants.

Language barriers hinder effective communication of immigrants with mainstream communities, leading to social isolation, and lack of utilization of social services, including health care services. Complaints of overcrowding and lack of basic amenities are the norm in foreign worker accommodations [25, 26].

Compared with permanent residents, temporary and provisional migrants were disadvantaged as they faced greater uncertainty and higher costs by failing to meet entitlement criteria to government support such as Medicare and education.19Access to training and tertiary education was a key barrier for these migrants, as well as access to essential health services, both of which have major implications for migrants’ health and wellbeing volume [18].

Challenges for migrants in accessing services and support were often magnified because they were based in a regional or rural area, where fewer services are available, especially specialist health, and education services. Access to adequate English language tuition was a major problem for migrants. Migrants in this research highlighted gaps in accessing information about local services and supports, and advocated for more comprehensive and realistic information to be provided to new migrants before arrival.

Host country specific education, work experience, language proficiency, and contacts with natives are positively related to the chances of employment and occupational status.7 Challenges for migrants in accessing services and support were often magnified because they were based in a regional or rural area, where fewer services are available, especially specialist health, and education services. Access to adequate English language tuition was a major problem for migrants [27].

Migration and remittances also impact on environment. Changes in consumption patterns result in more toxic waste and pollution affecting air, fresh water resources and coastal reefs. The same effect of population growth applies to environment services: access to improved water and sanitation. The same probably applies to services in health and education [28].

Legally speaking, the rights and protections accorded to employers of migrant workers in Malaysia are still unclear.

Issues regarding migrant workers are always the subject between the sending countries and a receiving country. People in both countries become tense when migrant workers are abused or subject to unfair treatment [29].

Over all, Social and cultural support was a fundamental determinant of positive settlement for migrants in Malaysia. In particular, support on arrival from migrants’ own cultural communities was critical to settlement and rapid integration into the new location. A key message from the research is the need to recruit migrants as a family unit, rather than single individuals, and to consider the family as a whole (such as job placement for the spouse). Research participants expressed significant concern about situations where there had been long delays in approving visas for family members to move to Malaysia from overseas. Prolonged separation from family diminished the mental health and wellbeing of migrants through stress, anxiety and depression. The research highlighted the importance of arrival and initial settlement experiences to a migrant’s ability to settle and integrate fully into a community. Initial support from migrant support services or employers, in the case of sponsored migrants, made a large contribution to positive settlement. The crucial role and valued contribution of migrant support services was emphasized repeatedly by migrants. Integration of migrants into regional and rural communities had sometimes been difficult at first, with tensions or separation between locals and new migrants, but integration had improved significantly over time as people got to know each other as individuals and co-workers, and as workers ‘proved’ them.

Therefore, migrants in this research highlighted gaps in accessing information about local services and supports, and advocated for more comprehensive and realistic information to be provided to new migrants before arrival. In such case, immigrants in host country are blamed and abused that indirectly, the political ties between both countries are affected. Participants also underlined the role religious involvement in facilitating more rapid and smooth integration of migrants into communities.

Conclusion

While the Malaysia government is committed to promoting migrant settlement with policies and programs, it is apparent from this research that not all migrants’ needs are being met. Particular gaps include difficulties in securing appropriate employment and in accessing basic services and infrastructure such as health, education and in some cases, as housing. A minority of migrants had experienced significant and sustained hardship, for instance through unemployment, financial stress or separation from family, which affected wellbeing. Although this group did not represent the majority, their challenges were substantial and affected the settlement and wellbeing of their families. Furthermore, it was common across all migrants (both skilled and humanitarian) to have experienced some difficulties with settlement, especially in the early stage.

Despite the multiple challenges in migrant settlement and integration, regional communities in Malaysia expressed much support and understanding of migrant issues and appreciation for their contribution to the region. The central message of the research is the need to ensure integrated planning and infrastructure development for migration of Malaysia. Improved and more holistic planning and capacity building will help to create the conditions for positive settlement of migrants in future.

Despite the fact that immigration is acknowledged to be a major determining factor in the social conditions in the rejoins. Studies have clearly deliberated the impact of the migration has on the health of people, even though the health consequences of migration may be critical to health outcomes.

Conflict of Interest

The author declares that they have no competing interest.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participants

Verbal permission was sought from participate to the study.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all University Putra Malaysia students who contributed to our research with their valuable time by sharing their stories, interests and needs during discussions.