The people who are fleeing Syria and headed toward Europe and beyond are called (in English anyway) migrants. I've seen people complain about this term for a number of reasons. For one, it seems like calling someone a "migrant" is demeaning and doesn't fully encapsulate their experience. For two, a migrant implies they intend to live at their destination for a bit before moving on, which is not the case for many of them who want to live in their new land permanently. And for three, "refugee" provides people with a better chance for an asylum as opposed to a migrant who may be coming in for work.

However "refugee" is probably the worse term. Although you are given easier access to cross the border, many people don't realize that refugees aren't allowed to work in the countries they enter. We all agree that letting people who are fleeing a deadly situation in their homeland is moral, but that doesn't mean when they arrive the natives will like them and citizens will petition their government to stop any competition in the job market. Refugees can stay in camps for years and years and years being given small allowances from the government or UN to survive but little else. Being called a "migrant" is better in those situations since you're allowed to find employment.