ABSTRACT
This chapter focusses on the two-way relationship between migration and development in the context of Asia, addressing the differences and similarities across different sub-regions. As Asia is home to the largest number of migrants globally, we examine changes in migration trends by looking at both intra-regional and inter-regional movements through what Khadria modelled as the ‘Hubs’ and ‘Hinterlands’ of migration. We address different categories of migrants, such as professionals and workers, students, women; high- and low-skilled, temporary and permanent, voluntary and forced, asylum-seekers, refugees, and trafficked migrants. Diasporas and the role of homeland associations in development, particularly in times of crises like the global pandemic of COVID-19 or natural disasters are addressed within a perspective of the dynamic conflicts of interest between home and host countries in ‘normal’ and ‘new normal’ times. The frontier skills in migration are categorised and a matrix suggested to interrelate various types of migrants and their differentiated development roles in segregated time horizons of long, short, and immediate term. The role of the state, civil society, and international organisations in migration governance through the changing perspectives of multilateralism, bilateralism, and even unilateralism in the twenty-first-century Asia is also explored.
