Экономические
науки/2. Внешнеэкономическая деятельность
Student Boiko A. I.
Donetsk national university of economics and trade
named after Mykhailo Tugan-Baranovsky, Ukraine
World labor migration: gains and losses
In today’s globalized economy, the issue of international labor
migration is one of the most critical – yet largely unexplored – issues for our
member companies and all businesses operating globally [1].
During the era of
globalization, the phenomenon of international migration drew immense attention,
so much so that the growth in the movement of individuals worldwide stands
equal to that of goods and capital. However, from a part of world population,
the supply of migrants increased marginally to 2.9% in 2009 from 2.5% in 1960
[2].
Labor migrants now represent roughly 190 million people, or about 3
percent of the world population. They are an increasingly vital part of the
global workforce. Despite immense attention to general working conditions in
global value chains, little specific attention has been given to this large and
vulnerable segment of the workforce [1].
The total global income gains from even small
increments to labor mobility could be quite enormous. It has been estimated
that a 3 percent expansion of global migration could generate a larger increase
in world incomes than a complete liberalization of all trade flows.
What drives these massive simulated gains are the
gaps in earnings between the poor and rich nations. When the gap in earnings of
unskilled workers between some of the poorer and richer nations exceeds
twentyfold, transfer from the low to high earnings settings potentially offers
huge gains. In the process of these simulated changes, the migrants themselves
are, by far, the largest winners. In reality we know that a significant portion
of the gains to migrants are now siphoned off by various forms of middlemen.
Migration is becoming increasingly commercialized:
agents are commonly hired to aid with access to visas and overseas jobs;
smugglers charge high fees for bringing irregular migrants across borders;
money-transfer intermediaries charge exorbitant rates. Nonetheless the net
potential gains to migrants entering the industrialized countries are extremely
high.Yet the impacts of any additional migrations on the incomes of those left
at home and of natives in the host countries is more ambiguous. While migrants
are clearly the big winners, others may even lose [3].
The net impact of migration is positive for the
migrants and high-income countries, and more gains are feasible. At the
same time, there are more ambiguous effects on developing countries, which may
suffer from growing brain-drain; only temporary migration among southern
hemisphere countries seemed to provide clear benefits. The impacts of labor migration are:
· Impact on world income: Some economic simulations have
suggested that even a 3 percent expansion in global migration could increase
world incomes more than a complete liberalization of all trade.
· Impact on
recipient countries: In some cases, migration can accelerate technical progress
or force changes in industrial activities—such as an increase in
labor-intensive forms of agriculture.
· Impact on
sending countries: Remittances from migrants back to their home countries can
promote rapid growth in developing regions, and the withdrawal of laborers can
induce higher wages or less underemployment for those left
behind. However, remittance flows can decline quickly and unexpectedly, as
currently observed in Mexico. Migration of highly skilled workers can become
problematic through “brain-drain” of talented healthcare workers and educators
in developing regions.
· Relationship between trade and migration: Subsidies in
many industrialized countries often protect the sectors in which migrants seek
work. There is little or no coherence between the trade and migration
policies adopted by higher-income countries. Better internal coordination
is necessary to reconcile the two agendas.
· Policy implications: Many countries prefer a policy of
temporary migration, in which migrants contribute to the local economy but
depart before they become dependents [4].
We can thus conclude
that the total profits incurred by the industrialized nations are quite high.
Yet the bearings of any extra migrations on the earnings of those residing in
the home countries and of citizens in the receiving countries are more
uncertain. While international migrants are on the advantageous position,
others may lag behind in the race.
References:
1.
Cratner A.International Labor Migration: A Responsible Role for Business
[Electronic resource]. - Access mode:
http://www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_LaborMigrationRoleforBusiness.pdf
2.
Globalization and International Labor Migration // Business Maps of India
[Electronic resource]. - Access mode: http://business.mapsofindia.com/globalization/international-labor-migration.html
http://carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=22272