Economic migration
Economic migration refers to the movement of individuals seeking better employment opportunities or a more stable economy. This migration can be voluntary, as individuals pursue seasonal or permanent work, or it may involve complex legal circumstances, with some countries imposing restrictions on the duration of stay for migrants. The distinction between economic migrants and forced migrants, who are driven by circumstances like conflict or environmental disasters, is crucial in understanding migration dynamics. Historically, significant waves of economic migration have been influenced by factors like colonialism and modern transportation advancements.
Today, economic migrants contribute substantially to various sectors across the globe, notably in agriculture and construction. However, many face challenges, especially undocumented workers who often endure exploitation due to their precarious status. Organizations like the International Labour Organization (ILO) advocate for the rights of these workers, highlighting the risks they encounter. Economic migration can also lead to "brain drain," where skilled individuals leave their home countries, potentially destabilizing local economies while providing financial remittances to their families. The impact of globalization continues to reshape economic migration patterns, affecting traditional lifestyles and prompting shifts in labor markets, especially in countries like China and among communities such as the Maasai. As such, economic migration remains a multifaceted issue with both positive and negative implications for individuals and their home communities.
Economic migration
Economic migration is the movement of individuals from one location to another in search of better employment or a more stable economy. Some economic migrants migrate for seasonal work, while others do so in search of permanent employment. Some nations allow economic migrants to stay for an indefinite period of time, while other nations set strict limits on how long migrants may stay and work. The United Nations differentiates between economic migration, which occurs by choice, and forced migration in which migrants may be war refugees, victims of human trafficking, refugees affected by an environmental disaster or climate change, or those facing barriers to employment in their home countries—such as racism. Economic migrants are sometimes called "migrant workers."
Brief History
Historical documents are full of examples of individuals leaving their homelands for other places. However, the emergence of both European colonialism and modern forms of transportation, such as ships, encouraged unprecedented waves of economic migration. Europeans who chose to migrate to the American colonies in search of farmland were economic migrants, for example. However, Africans who were enslaved and forced to come to the American colonies were not economic migrants.
During the colonial era, Europeans moved to all regions of the world. Some of these individuals set up farms, while others participated in domestic and international trade. While many of these individuals, and the communities they helped establish, maintained their ties to a homeland, over time, they became more deeply rooted in the land on which they had settled. In this way, individuals who were once considered economic migrants became permanent residents of the land to which they immigrated.
Economic migration is not limited to leaving one’s country for another. It can also occur within a country. For example, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, many American families were forced to leave their towns and farms in search of employment in other parts of the country. Similarly, with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, some people left the cities and returned to farming villages in search of jobs and food stability.
Economic Migration Today
Many individuals in numerous countries work as economic migrants. For example, the United States agriculture industry is heavily reliant on migrant laborers. While some of these individuals have acquired legal paperwork, others are considered undocumented because they do not have permission to work in the United States. This undocumented status produces many risks for migrant laborers. Oftentimes undocumented migrant workers are paid less than documented laborers because employers know that undocumented laborers cannot go to the police and report underpayment without risking deportation.
Migrant laborers are also commonly used for large-scale construction projects in nations that do not have enough domestic workers. For example, Qatar hired many migrant laborers to build its World Cup stadiums. Those workers, mostly from South Asian countries, reported that recruiters lied to them about the living conditions, pay rate, and working hours.
Many organizations work to protect the rights of migrant laborers. One example is the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency that coordinates among 187 countries, employers, and workers to establish international labor standards. Established in 1919, the ILO seeks to ensure that workers have rights such as a humane working hours, protection against illness and injury while at work, and the ability to freely associate with others while at work. Also, ILO advocates on behalf of children so that they are not forced to work. ILO advocacy is especially important for migrant laborers, who are most at risk of being exploited by their employers.
Despite the many potential problems that migrant laborers face, many individuals continue to participate in economic migration. Some with advanced educations look for technical, academic, or medical jobs that are not available in their home countries. The departure of these individuals from their community is called "brain drain." For these individuals, seeking employment outside of their home country can be advantageous. Oftentimes they earn higher salaries than they could in their home countries and also send home a portion of their earnings to their family. This process, known as "remittance," is a benefit of economic migration. However, development experts warn that while families can find economic stability as a result of economic migration, the larger community from which they come suffers from a lack of teachers, doctors, and engineers as result of brain drain.
In most cases, modern economic migration results from globalization, as traditional forms of life increasingly suffer economic instability. For example, the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania have traditionally supported themselves by raising cattle. However, some Maasai men also work as security guards in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to provide a better life for their families as their traditional economic way of life fades. Similarly, in China, many rural workers, from traditionally agrarian societies, have migrated to work in urban factories. Because of national labor and migration laws, these migrant laborers often leave their children at home with family. While the parents frequently send money home to support their children, Chinese policy analysts are concerned about the long-term social and economy effects of this system.
Some economic migrants choose to stay in their new communities. This phenomenon can be seen in the steady increase of the Latino population in the United States, as many economic migrants of the late twentieth century from Latin American countries such as Mexico stayed in the United States to raise their families. Other economic migrants work for a while in another country and then return to their homes. This process is known as "return migration." For example, economic migrants from Mexico who came to the United States between 2005 to 2010 returned at a 31 percent rate, indicating that patterns of economic migration can fluctuate from decade to decade and generation to generation.
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