Skip to main content
Migration and Home Affairs

Definition(s)

A person who leaves their country of origin purely for economic reasons that are not in any way related to the refugee definition, in order to seek material improvements in their livelihood.

Source(s)

UNHCR Master Glossary of Terms

Translations

  • BG: иконимически мигрант
  • CS: ekonomický migrant
  • DE: Migrant aus wirtschaftlichen Gründen / Wirtschaftsmigrant
  • EL: οικονομικός μετανάστης
  • EN: economic migrant
  • ES: persona migrante por motivos económicos
  • ET: majandusmigrant
  • FI: taloudellisten syiden vuoksi muuttava henkilö
  • FR: migrant économique
  • GA: imirceach eacnamaíoch
  • HU: gazdasági migráns
  • IT: migrante economico
  • LT: ekonominis migrantas
  • LV: ekonomiskais migrants
  • MT: Migrant(a) għal raġunijiet ekonomiċi
  • NL: economische migrant
  • PL: migrant ekonomiczny
  • PT: migrante económico
  • RO: migrant economic
  • SK: ekonomický migrant
  • SL: ekonomski migrant
  • SV: ekonomisk migrant
  • NO: økonomisk migrant
  • KA: ეკონომიკური მიგრანტი
  • UK: економічний мігрант

Synonym(s)

  • economic refugee

Broader Term(s)

Narrower Term(s)

Related Term(s)

Note(s)

1. Economic migrants do not fall within the criteria for refugee status and are therefore not entitled to benefit from international protection as refugees .
2. Economic migrants are sometimes referred to as economic refugees, but this is a misuse of the term 'refugee' .