Common Mistakes : Immigrate

Immigrate – Verb

BAD: Some of those who can’t find a job decide to immigrate

GOOD: Some of those who can’t find a job decide to emigrate

BAD: We’re planning to immigrate to the United States next year

GOOD: We’re planning to emigrate to the United States next year

The verb immigrate (= enter a foreign country and make your home there) is seldom used. Instead people tend to use immigrant and immigration (nouns): ‘When jobs became scarce, the number of new immigrants suddenly decreased.’ Immigration has decreased in recent years

emigrate = leave your own country and make your home in another one:  His parents emigrated from Scotland to Canada in 1933