I have long been confused on the difference between these two words. I've seen them used interchangeably so often by so many that I thought maybe one was a misspelling of the other. So this morning I looked them up.

    Their meanings are flip sides of the same issue, the same as if you are exiting one room and entering another room by using a connecting door.

IMMIGRATE, as a verb, (spelled with two m's) means to enter a foreign country with the intention of remaining there. Therefore, an IMMIGRANT, as a noun, is a person who has entered a foreign country with the intention of living there permanently.

EMIGRATE, as a verb, (spelled with one m) is the flip side of immigrate. Emigrate means to leave one's one birth country for the purpose of moving permanently to a foreign country. Therefore, an EMIGRANT, as a noun, is a person who is leaving his home country with the intention of that exit being permanent.

    The usage of these two words is based on perspective, the country being left would see this person as someone who is leaving, an emigrant. The country being entered would see this same person as someone who is entering, an immigrant.