A person who has moved to a place (usually a country) different than the one s/he used to live before and has been settled in the new place for a certain period usually (more than 12 months).
This change of residence is based on choice, rather than the constraints and threats that explain certain population movements (refugees, exiles).
“Migrant” is the most encompassing term, while immigrant refers to the entry in the host country, and emigrant marks the movement outward from a country.
Depending on the country, there are different terms for migrants. In France, the word “immigrant” (see this entry) competes with the word “migrant”.
Official definition at the European Level/Examples
In the global context, a person who is outside the territory of the State of which they are nationals or citizens and who has resided in a foreign country for more than one year irrespective of the causes, voluntary or involuntary, and the means, regular or irregular, used to migrate. In the EU context, a person who either:
(i) establishes their usual residence in the territory of a Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months, having previously been usually resident in another Member State or a third country; or
(ii) having previously been usually resident in the territory of a Member State, ceases to have their usual residence in that Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months.1