topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2126.85 0.35
DAX 6383.97 0.69
IBEX 30 6471.3 -1.10
CAC 40 3060.85 0.42
FTSE 100 5382.81 0.58
AEX 294.85 0.71
DJIA 12454.83 -0.60
Nasdaq 2837.53 -0.07
FTSE MIB 13121.72 -0.25
TSX Composite 11576.47 0.09
ASX 4120.2 0.96
Hang seng 18800.99 0.47
Straits Times 2786.67 0.50
ISEQ 20 503.32 0.48
You are here: Home News Community News UN report calls for 'new deal' for migrant workers

Community News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


06/10/2009UN report calls for 'new deal' for migrant workers

During the global downturn, many migrant workers faced a backlash in countries hard hit by job losses but the report said governments should seek to rally public opinion behind sound migration policies.

Paris -- Governments worldwide should look at changes to their immigration policies with a view to offering a "new deal" to migrant workers whose skills can help spur economic recovery, a UN report said Monday.

Wealthy countries with ageing populations in particular are likely to face an increase in demand for expatriate labour as they pull out of recession, said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the report.

"The recession should be seized as an opportunity to institute a new deal for migrants -- one that will benefit workers at home and abroad while guarding against a protectionist backlash," said Jeni Klugman, the report's author.

"With recovery, many of the same underlying trends that have been driving movement during the past half-century will resurface, attracting more people to move," she said.

Nearly one billion of the world's 6.7 billion people are on the move -- that means one in seven people is a migrant, according to the report titled Overcoming Barriers: Human Mobility and Development.

Movements of workers within Asia accounts for nearly 20 percent of all world migration and exceeds the total flow that Europe receives from all regions.

With the US and European economies struggling to emerge from recession, creating jobs has become the main focus of concern in a highly mobile world.

During the global downturn, many migrant workers faced a backlash in countries hard hit by job losses, but the report said governments should seek to rally public opinion behind sound migration policies.

"This is not the time for anti-immigrant protectionism but for reforms which promote longer-term gains. Convincing the public of this will take courage," said Klugman.

The report does not advocate open borders, but said "there is a strong case for increased access for sectors with a high demand for labour, including for the low-skilled."

The UNDP, which advocates measures to combat poverty, put forward a six-point package calling for opening up existing channels to more workers and ensuring worker protection and rights.

It recommended cutting some of the bureaucratic red tape that migrants face, arguing that pulling down the "paper wall" will help stem illegal migration by making it easier to use legal channels.

The report called for lowering transaction costs for migrants such as passport fees. Asian migrants moving to the Gulf often pay 25 to 35 percent of what they can expect to earn over two or three years in recruitment and other fees.

Other recommendations included easing restrictions on internal migration, boosting cooperation between host communities and migrants, and including migration in national development strategies.

Seeking to dispel misconceptions about migration, the report noted that the world's poorest were the least likely to move to a foreign country. About 60 percent of migrants move between developing countries or internally within these countries.

Studies show migrants generally contribute to job creation in host communities and help generate initiatives in businesses that hire them, according to the report.

Countries with high rates of emigration often rely on remittances that play a sizeable role in their economies and some governments are attempting to attract members of the diaspora back home as investors.

AFP/Expatica


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Technology in Spain

Sat phones/internet links

English in Spain

What is the best travel insurance cover to Spain?

American in Spain

U.S. citizens, plan to vote in 2012? Did you know...

Relocation to Spain

thinking of moving to madrid

Jobs in Spain

Job Agencies or how to find work.

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Spain

Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Spain

Expatica's Getting Started section will provide practical information on how you can open a bank account, exchange your driving licence, improve your Spanish, and more.

Groups and Clubs in Madrid

Groups and Clubs in Madrid

Here's a guide to an extensive list of groups and clubs in Madrid for expats, from sports groups to social and family gatherings.

Groups and Clubs around Spain

Groups and Clubs around Spain

A brief introduction to our Tax section for Spain, from help with inheritance tax to accounting advice.

Groups and Clubs in Barcelona

Groups and Clubs in Barcelona

Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in Spain, from what to ask the experts to opening a Spanish bank account.