High-Skilled Migration

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Migration ◽  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
State Policies ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Skilled Migration ◽  
The Past ◽  
Highly Skilled ◽  
Skilled Migrant

Over the past decades an increasing number of countries have developed a growing interest in attracting and retaining skilled and highly skilled migrant workers. This chapter provides an introduction into the nature and dynamics of the global skill market and the role of states and state policies in international migration processes of highly skilled workers. This introduction also outlines the subsequent chapters of this volume which address questions regarding (i) the nature and scope of high-skilled migration and ‘immigration policy packages’ states implement to attract and select high-skilled migrants; (ii) the rationales and determinants of high-skilled migration policies evolving over time and space; (iii) the extent to which policies and other drivers affect high-skilled migration processes in general, and international migration of students, scientists, and health professionals in particular.

Conclusion

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Migration ◽  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Migration Policy ◽  
Business Climate ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Skilled Migration ◽  
Migration Policies ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Structural Drivers ◽  
Political Structures

This volume highlights the challenges of contemporary policymaking and scholarship on high-skilled migration. Both areas often focus rather narrowly on migration policy without considering systematically and rigorously other economic, social, and political drivers of migration. These structural drivers are often equally or sometimes even more important than migration policies per se. To be successful in recruiting on the global skill market, countries have to implement coherent whole-of-government immigration policy packages which are to be embedded in a country’s broader economic, social, and political structures and the broader context of international migration processes and dynamics. Societies and economies that are able to create a welcoming environment for people, attractive professional conditions for workers, and a business climate for employers are likely to succeed in attracting and recruiting skilled workers that are in demand. The chapter concludes with some proposals aimed at improving the efficiency of the global skill market.

Employers, Recruiters, and Workers

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Martin
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Foreign Earnings ◽  
Work Abroad ◽  
Skilled Migrant

Low-skilled migrant workers often pay high fees to work abroad, which reduces the remittances they can send to their families and is regressive because low-skilled workers pay more than high-skilled workers. No one knows exactly how much workers pay, justifying more data on this in order to reduce worker-paid costs. Media exposés of workers who paid a year’s foreign earnings to get a two-year contract may leave the impression that all workers pay such high fees, although the data collected from workers in diverse corridors do not support such a conclusion. Since the number of low-skilled workers often exceeds the number of jobs, worker willingness to pay can be a way of allocating scarce jobs among workers, although government efforts to limit what workers pay can drive payments underground.

Narratives of human trafficking: Defining policy, practice and positioning in a contested field

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bryony Cornforth-Camden
Keyword(s):  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Local Responses ◽  
The Past ◽  
Crime Type ◽  
Counter Narrative ◽  
The Way

<p><b>This research uses narrative criminology to investigate the way the problem of human trafficking is narrated in New Zealand and international settings. It draws on accounts from professionals who are responsible for defining and responding to human trafficking, and reports, policy, and other guiding documents. The main issue driving this research is the contested nature of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a crime type that has been highly politicised resulting in shifts and changes to the way the problem of trafficking has been approached over the past 20 years, with differing trends coming to the fore and dominating trafficking practices at different times. The internationally dominant approaches which emphasise prostitution, harsh criminal responses, and border security have come under criticism for having harmful impacts for migrant workers. This research aims to understand how human trafficking is defined, what discourses are drawn on, and how international narratives may be influencing local responses with the overall aim of identifying new and less problematic ways of conceptualising human trafficking and responding to migrant exploitation.</b></p> <p>This thesis finds that different ways of narrating human trafficking are constitutive of different trafficking realities. Narratives determine the shape the problem takes, who is involved, what the causes and solutions are, who responds, and who are classed as victims and perpetrators. This research concludes that as narratives structure reality and action, in order to change how we deal with certain problems, the way the problem is narrated must also change.</p> <p>The findings of this thesis reflect current challenges in the wider international anti-trafficking field of how to avoid positioning western states and systems as outside of the problem of trafficking, issues with broadening definitions of victimhood, and questions of the role of international versus local bodies in defining problems involving migration and crime. As well as reflecting these current challenges, the findings from this research provide insights for moving forwards by proposing an alternative narrative. This counter narrative is created through drawing together components of narratives identified in this research. It avoids the issues of western exceptionalism, narrow forms of victimhood, and a focus on sex trafficking, and provides a different method for conceptualising migration, exploitation, and harm.</p>

Meeting Australia's Labour Needs: The Case for a New Low-Skill Work Visa

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Howe ◽  
Alexander Reilly
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
International Student ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Migrant Labour ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Migration Program ◽  
Temporary Labour Migration ◽  
Skill Shortages ◽  
Skilled Migrant

This article examines whether Australia's regulatory settings for temporary migrant labour are working effectively and argues that a backdoor currently exists which permits the entry of low skilled migrant workers on visas which are not for a work purpose, namely the international student visa and the working holiday maker visa. We propose that an explicit visa pathway be created for low and semi-skilled workers so that the working conditions of these visa holders are more appropriately monitored and to enable Australia's temporary labour migration program to better meet skill shortages in the economy.

scholarly journals Global Talent Flows

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 83-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sari Pekkala Kerr ◽  
William Kerr ◽  
Çağlar Özden ◽  
Christopher Parsons
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Skilled Migration ◽  
Global Migration ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
Highly Skilled ◽  
Migration Flows ◽  
The Individual

Highly skilled workers play a central and starring role in today's knowledge economy. Talented individuals make exceptional direct contributions—including breakthrough innovations and scientific discoveries—and coordinate and guide the actions of many others, propelling the knowledge frontier and spurring economic growth. In this process, the mobility of skilled workers becomes critical to enhancing productivity. Substantial attention has been paid to understanding the worldwide distribution of talent and how global migration flows further tilt the deck. Using newly available data, we first review the landscape of global talent mobility. We next consider the determinants of global talent flows at the individual and firm levels and sketch some important implications. Third, we review the national gatekeepers for skilled migration and broad differences in approaches used to select migrants for admission. Looking forward, the capacity of people, firms, and countries to successfully navigate this tangled web of global talent will be critical to their success.

Migrants' Skills and Productivity: A European Perspective

2010 ◽  
Vol 213 ◽  
pp. R20-R34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Huber ◽  
Michael Landesmann ◽  
Catherine Robinson ◽  
Robert Stehrer
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Native Workers ◽  
Downward Pressure ◽  
Highly Skilled Migrants ◽  
Highly Skilled ◽  
Robust Evidence ◽  
The Eu

The freedom of movement of persons is one of the core tenets of the European Union. Immigration however is often seen as a cause for concern amongst native workers, as rising labour supply may threaten jobs and create downward pressure on wages. National politicians are increasingly under pressure to guard against it — in times of recession particularly. Despite this, there is evidence that highly-skilled migrant labour has the potential to raise competitiveness significantly and in theory this may feed into productivity. In this paper, we explore first the composition of inward migration to the EU and within the EU, concentrating specifically on the role of the highly-skilled and the extent to which migrants are overqualified within their jobs. We then analyse whether migrant workers affect productivity at the sectoral level. We find under-utilisation of skilled foreign labour and there is little evidence in general to suggest that migrants have raised productivity which may in part be attributable to over-qualification. However, we find robust evidence that migrants — particularly highly-skilled migrants — play a positive role in productivity developments in industries which are classified as ‘skill intensive’.

Fear of Islam in Greece: migration, terrorism, and “ghosts” from the past

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 511-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandros Sakellariou
Keyword(s):  
National Identity ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
State Policies ◽  
Greek Orthodox ◽  
The Past ◽  
Political Debates ◽  
Rhetorical Tropes ◽  
Over Time

The article explores the “fear of Islam” through a specific series of political debates about Islam and the future of the Greek-Orthodox national identity. The analysis is based on the method of qualitative content analysis, which makes use of thematic categories and draws on the proceedings of the Greek parliament. The main questions the article will try to address are: How have Greek political parties reacted to public demand for the construction of a mosque? What have been the rhetorical tropes they use? How have they capitalized on current and old fears about Islam? What have been the implications of this discourse on state policies toward Islam? Have there been any differences in this discourse over time? The analysis highlights the role of historical interpretations of Greek national identity and contemporary problems related to new waves of migration due to Greece's place on the border with Turkey and with the broader Islamic world.

scholarly journals INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION OF HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS TO THE EU COUNTRIES

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-28
Author(s):  
Ani Galstyan
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
International Migration ◽  
Migration Policy ◽  
Aging Population ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
Highly Skilled ◽  
Sustainable Economic Growth ◽  
The Eu

Maintaining the EU's position in the world is preconditioned (among other things) by sustainable economic growth in its member states. Currently, all the EU countries are facing the effects from the rapidly aging population, which is one of the most serious obstacles to sustainable economic growth. In the short term, it may be possible to eliminate the effects of aging population through better use of available human resources. However, in the longer perspective, this will not be enough to counter unfavorable demographic trends. In this context, it will be necessary to increase the share of the economically active population, and this can be partially done through international migration of highly qualified workers. However, our study shows that the level of immigration of highly qualified workers remains modest in most of the EU countries. In this paper, we are analyzing the causes behind the current situation and are also trying to formulate recommendations for migration policy focused on highly skilled labor. At the same time, we are aware that, while international migration contributes to the accumulation of human capital, it cannot by itself solve the structural issues of European labor markets.

Indian migrant workers and global city Singapore: What determines the preference for and (relative) cost of a migration destination?

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-122
Author(s):  
Michiel Baas
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Global City ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Brand Value ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Highly Skilled ◽  
Permanent Residency ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The City

Global city ambitions and associated cosmopolitan aspirations are principally oriented towards attracting highly skilled migrants who are offered the opportunity of permanent residency. In contrast, low-skilled migrants increasingly face issues of segregation and sanitation, being housed in dormitories far from the city centre, often explained as an attempt to ‘decongest’ the city. That these migrants are not considered part of the aspired cosmopolitan gloss that global cities like to associate themselves with is furthermore underscored by their status as permanently temporary with no option to stay-on beyond a maximum number of years. This article challenges the inherent assumption that low-skilled migrants’ choice for a particularly migration destination is only motivated by monetary reasons. It does so by drawing on two distinct research projects: the first among migration agents in Chennai (Tamil Nadu, India), the second among variously skilled migrants from India in Singapore. By doing so, the article explicates that not only the cost of formalities, agency fees and travel contribute to how expensive it is to migrate to a particular destination (e.g. the Gulf, Malaysia or Singapore) but also its brand value, mainly determined by its assumed quality of life outside work. This brand value speaks to both low- and highly skilled workers, although in different ways.

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