Immigrant vs. Refugee — What's the Difference?

A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country

A refugee, generally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national boundaries and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution. Such a person may be called an asylum seeker until granted refugee status by the contracting state or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) if they formally make a claim for asylum.

A person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another.

One who flees, especially to another country, seeking refuge from war, political oppression, religious persecution, or a natural disaster.

An organism that establishes itself in an area where it previously did not exist.

A person seeking refuge in a foreign country out of fear of political persecution or the prospect of such persecution in their home country, i.e., a person seeking political asylum.

Of or relating to immigrants or the act of immigrating.

A person seeking refuge due to a natural disaster, war, etc.

A non-native person who comes to a country from another country to permanently settle there.

A person formally granted political or economic asylum by a country other than their home country.

A plant or animal that establishes itself in an area where it previously did not exist.

(by extension) A person who flees one place or institution for another.

Of or relating to immigrants or the act of immigrating.

To convey (slaves) away from the advance of the federal forces.

One who immigrates; one who comes to a country for the purpose of permanent residence; - correlative of emigrant.

One who flees to a shelter, or place of safety.

A person who comes to a country where they were not born in order to settle there

Especially, one who, in times of persecution or political commotion, flees to a foreign power or country for safety; as, the French refugees who left France after the revocation of the edict of Nantes.

An exile who flees for safety