Migrant Workers: looking for better opportunities

Part 1: In this part, the reader would be able to understand the meaning, examples, types, causes and regional tendencies of migrant workers.

The migration is a voluntary or involuntary movement of people from one place to another. The voluntary movement is when people look for better opportunities (mainly economical opportunities) and the involuntary movement is when the home country is in war or because discrimination, natural disasters, internal armed conflict, among other facts.

There is the case of United States that is considered as a migrant country, because it receives high quantity of legal and illegal immigrant. The majority of Mexican immigrants in USA are doing the hard and less paid job. But there are also immigrants that have the capacity to have a more remunerated job. It is important to say that immigrants can contribute to the well performance of the economy, by doing the hardest and/or the more intellectual activities.

Image taken from: Getty Images

Another case of countries that send and receives migrant workers is the European Union, which allows the free movement of people and goods. In the European Union the migration mainly occurs from east to west, because the western countries are more developed and offer good opportunities for employment and economical safety.

The following are the migration regional tendencies:

In America, people tend to move from south to north; Inside the European Union there is freedom of movement but people tend to move from east to west; Asia people are temporary migrant workers, who work some time in certain country and after some time they return; Middle east hire temporary workers specially from Asia; Oceania is a traditional migrant country; and finally, people in African countries have the tendency to move to another African states.

Image taken from: Getty Images

The technology is facilitating the movement of people looking for better opportunities specially working opportunities. But since the immigration is increasing, countries that attract immigrants are creating strict immigration rules in order to reduce and avoid illegal immigrants.

In conclusion, it is necessary to understand that in a globalized world, people can access to information about the good working opportunities that offer certain country, migrate and have an easier movement. The workers migration is present in all regions of the world and is consider as an important aspect to the economy of the host and home country.

Part 2: In this part, the question: ¿Do you think the Points System in Canada is meant to protect the country’s sovereignty? Or ¿is it just a deliberated form of discrimination?, ¿Why?, Will be answered based on the text: “The Past and Future of Immigration to Canada". Journal of International Migration & Integration, 8(1): 1-10. By: Verbeeten, David. 2007.

The points system in Canada were created in 1967 avoiding race or religion discrimination and allowing the immigration of people with high education level and language ability, skills and training. For the Canadian government it is necessary to protect the country´s interests by giving immigration preferences to people that can contribute for the development of the national economy.

Since the government permits the immigration of people from all over the world: developing and developed countries; without taking into account the ethnic and the religious beliefs, and totally committed to equality and human rights it is not fair to say that the Canadian government is discriminating. Although, the government allows the entrance of diverse people from different countries, in order to recognize and protect the principle of country´s sovereignty it is necessary to make immigration regulations and controls that benefit the country, that can be understood as discriminations based on the studies and the skills. The Canadian government evaluates and selects immigrants by the point system, which is a way to create a multicultural society based on a diversity of talented people. This system is important for Canada because some talented Canadian people leave the country and migrate to another countries with better opportunities, which is an outflow of talent that damage the economy of the country.

Image taken from: Getty Images

Although the points system is a good way to control the country´s interests, there are important challenges to take into account: Canada select and accept immigrants that are also accepted by countries that offer greatest opportunities to skilled people, like United States. Therefore many talented migrants prefer to accept an opportunity in other country instead of Canada. The other challenge is that some skilled migrants live in Canada during some time and then return to a growing economy, for example China.

In conclusion, for Canada the points system allow the immigration of people without racial and ethnic discrimination but select people with some studies and skills that can be useful to the economy, which is discrimination used to protect the country´s sovereignty and economy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Getty Images, “immigration”, [Online] Permanent URL: http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=creative&p=immigration&assetType=image#3. Last accessed: February 27, 2010

Verbeeten, David. 2007. The Past and Future of Immigration to Canada. Journal of International Migration & Integration, 8(1): 1-10.