Civilization 7 introduces numerous new mechanics and units that significantly impact gameplay. Among them are migrants, unique civilian units that play a crucial role in city expansion and growth. Although often underestimated compared to military units, migrants can significantly influence the development of a civilization. Understanding how to acquire migrants and use them strategically can help players optimize empire expansion, efficiently allocate the workforce, and manage resources.

What is a Migrant in Civilization 7?

Migrants are mobile population units that can be relocated to expand settlements. They have no combat value, cannot participate in battles, or establish trade routes. Instead, they directly contribute to city growth by occupying a free tile and creating a new rural district or adding +1 to the city's population.

When a migrant appears, the game prompts you to move them before ending the turn. By selecting the unit and using the "Resettlement" option, you can place the migrant on an available tile within the city's territory. This instantly increases the settlement's population, allowing it to work an additional tile and generate more resources.

Migrants are a free population increase and are especially useful in the early stages of the game when settlement income is still small, and additional workers are needed. Throughout the game, they remain valuable as they allow for the redistribution of population between overpopulated cities and smaller settlements, ensuring balance and optimizing resource production.

How to Acquire Migrants in Civilization 7?

Migrants do not appear through regular population growth but are generated under certain conditions, including narrative events, overpopulation, world wonders, and special leader abilities. Here are the main ways to acquire migrants in Civilization 7.

Narrative Events

The most common way to obtain migrants is through narrative events. During these events, players are offered various action options, each of which can lead to certain bonuses, including the appearance of migrants. For example, if a city is affected by a flood or plague, players can choose the option to house the affected in the central district, resulting in the appearance of a migrant.

Leader Abilities – Harriet Tubman's Lantern

Harriet Tubman is one of the leaders capable of consistently generating migrants. Upon reaching the 2nd level of leadership, she gains the Lantern landmark, which causes a migrant to appear in the capital every time a diplomatic espionage operation is successfully completed without detection. Since this landmark can be used with any leader once unlocked, it provides a repeatable way to acquire migrants.

Overpopulation

Another way to create migrants is through the overpopulation mechanic. If a city's population grows but there are no available tiles or specialist slots, the excess population is converted into migrants. Players can take advantage of this mechanic by artificially limiting available tiles in a specific city, forcing it to generate migrants that can then be relocated to other cities.

Wonder – Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, a wonder of the Modern Era, guarantees the acquisition of migrants in Civilization 7. After its construction in the city where it was built, several migrants immediately appear. They can be used for the rapid growth of other settlements, making this wonder especially useful for expansion into new territories or strengthening border cities supporting military campaigns.

Random Discoveries and Tribal Settlements

While exploring the map, players may encounter random discoveries or tribal settlements that sometimes provide migrants. Although such instances are not guaranteed, active exploration of territories increases the chance of acquiring them.

Crisis Policies – Miasmatic Crisis

Some crisis policies available at the end of each era can also generate migrants. For example, the Miasmatic Crisis policy in the Ancient Era is known for occasionally awarding migrants. Since these policies depend on player choice and game circumstances, they are an unpredictable but potentially valuable source of migrants.

How to Use Migrants in Civilization 7

Migrants are civilian units that periodically appear in settlements. The game prompts the player to move them before ending the turn. If the player is unfamiliar with these units, they may underestimate their strategic value.

A migrant can be used by moving it to any free tile within the city that is not yet developed. When a Migrant is placed, it creates a Rural District, increasing the city's population by one unit and allowing work on an additional tile. This immediately boosts resource production and promotes city growth.

To activate a Migrant, you need to select the unit and click the "Resettlement" option, which will allow you to place it on an available tile and integrate it into the city's population. Thanks to this, Migrants become an important tool for controlling settlement expansion, especially if growth rates are slow.

How to Use Migrants Effectively

Migrants may seem like secondary units, but with skillful use, they provide a strategic advantage. They are a flexible tool for city development and resource management. Here are a few effective ways to use migrants:

1. Enhancing Small Settlement Growth

If a city is developing slowly due to a lack of food or housing, migrants can instantly increase its population. This allows for work on more tiles and faster resource generation.

2. Creating Rural Districts

If you place a migrant on an undeveloped tile, it will automatically create a rural district. This is especially useful for expanding the city's territory and increasing resource production. Placing migrants on tiles with valuable resources further increases their effectiveness.

3. "Migrant Generator" Strategy

Experienced players can use the "Migrant Generator" technique for continuous acquisition of these units. If you surround the central city with several smaller cities, its tiles will be limited, forcing excess population to turn into migrants. They can then be relocated to larger cities for further development.

4. Using Wonders for Specialists

Typically, migrants can only settle in rural districts, but players can bypass this restriction using cyclic construction techniques. If you build a wonder or district over a tile with a migrant, it can be relocated to the city district as a specialist.

5. Supporting Military Campaigns

Migrants can play a key role in expanding cities that support military actions. They allow for the quick increase of population in new settlements, accelerate infrastructure construction, and improve military logistics.