International Labour Mobility Research Articles

Migration Governance in South Africa

The emerging global migration governance architecture is very different from the formal multilateralism of the post-1945 era that influenced the evolution of transboundary issues of trade, the environment, and finance. States have recognised that they cannot address the challenge of migration without international cooperation. Consequently, multiple institutions co-exist across the bilateral, regional, inter-regional, and multilateral levels, through both formal and informal structures. Proponents of a 'management' approach to global migration governance, primarily countries in the Global North, have preferred to keep intergovernmental discussions regarding migration outside of the United Nations (UN) in various state-led fora in different regional and global settings. Equally, countries in the Global South, along with normative organizations such as ILO, OHCHR, and IOM, have sought to further a rights-based approach to the governance of migration within the UN. IOM's recommendation that has been faulted by academia for being biased: International migration in countries in the Global South, including South Africa, is that migration management frameworks should be anchored in sound policies and underpinned by enabling legal frameworks and implementation strategies that have the support of all stakeholders and devoid of these symptoms of a lack of coordination, coherence and cooperation. The academic critique fails to appreciate that public administration has many lenses that are not in public domains. This paper is explanatory research that is built on exploratory and descriptive research types. It goes further to determine causes and reasons, extend the theory or principles, and provide evidence to support or refute explanations or predictions. The research philosophy of this paper is pragmatism underpinned by the nature of reality, the nature of knowledge of migration governance and the role of values of the researcher. It reviewed relevant literature to the paper, applicable policies, laws, discourses, and practices following a qualitative method with reflexive and critical comparison approach combining broad, multidisciplinary literature review; evaluating of promotion, application, and treaty review of international standards; the direct participation in policy processes in two Reginal Economic Communities in Africa: EAC and IGAD. The relevant literature reviewed are publications on migration, migration management, migration governance, migration development, border management, national security, human rights, international relations, social protection, international labour and skills mobility, development, and related themes. This paper adopted the model of migration that draws upon recent developments in migration theory: the Model Mechanisms that Produce Migration. MMPM does away with the notion of root causes; the notion of 'root causes' originated in the European policy debates about conflict-driven displacement. The attempts to tackle root causes centred on humanitarian action to prevent violence, end human rights abuses, and facilitate peace-building. This flawed preventative logic was transferred to economically motivated migration with the assumption that migration can be stemmed by alleviating poverty and creating jobs. The knowledge growth about the mixed nature of migration flows and migration motivations has been recognized by governments and international agencies and is broadly applicable across different categories of migrants, including refugees. The Model is built around three steps. Migration governance in South Africa remains a complex and challenging issue, requiring a comprehensive, coordinated, and integrated approach from the government and other stakeholders described as a whole-of-society and government approach and partnership. Adequate State funding and stakeholders' participation in the implementation of the South Africa White Paper on International Migration has the potential to address many of the challenges associated with migration governance in the country and the SADC region effectively and sustainably.

Postdocs in Russia: Peculiarities of Employment and Incentives

The article presents the results of the author’s research aimed at identifying the peculiarities of employment of postdocs, a relatively new labor category for the Russian academic labor market. Due to several difficulties associated with forming a sample of postdocs (difficulty in identifying key persons responsible for the development of postdoctoral programs; direct, but not always justified, refusals to provide data, difficulties in identifying potential respondents due to their occupation of various scientific positions in Russian universities), the “snowball” method was used. As a result, the empirical basis of the study was formed based on the results of an online survey of 44 postdocs. As part of the study, tasks related to compiling a socio-economic portrait of a postdoc based on economic, socio-demographic characteristics and indicators of research efficiency, identifying the characteristics of the employment and placement experience of postdocs, objective factors and individual motives for making decisions in the field of choosing postdoctoral programs were solved, as well as diagnostics of tools and channels for young researchers to search for vacancies. The authors distinguish between types of academic mobility (educational and labor) and consider postdoctoral studies as a promising form of external labor academic mobility aimed at attracting and retaining high-potential young researchers planning a long-term career in the academic labor market.Shifting the emphasis from the inbreeding model of university development (internal labor mobility) to the model of external labor academic mobility of young specialists allows those universities that can effectively manage the flow of academic human capital to receive additional socio-economic preferences and return on investment. There are very few similar empirical studies that analyze the features of the development of postdoctoral institutions in Russia and abroad and are based on quantitative and qualitative data from surveys of direct participants in external labor academic mobility – postdocs, which determines the scientific novelty and practical value of the proposed results.

Sensitivity analysis of shock distributions in the world economy.

With the ever increasing interconnectedness among countries and industries, globalization has empowered economies and promoted international trade, capital flow and labor mobility, leading to improved products and services. However, the growing interdependence has also propelled an inherent reliance on joint cooperation which has considerably influenced the complexity of global value chains (GVCs). This plays a significant role in policy decisions, raising questions about trade risks that originate from such interdependence. In this paper, we study the impact of network linkage disturbances on the output supply and input demand of countries. We model the network interconnectedness of countries according to the latest 2016 release of the World Input-Output Database (WIOD) that includes data tables for the period 2000-2014 covering 43 countries as well as a model for the Rest of the World (ROW). We assess the shock distributions across the world economy by quantifying the changes in the network linkages using sensitivity analysis. Our contribution is in the definition of a shock tensor with the purpose of evaluating the impact of link sensitivity. The shock tensor is a straightforward yet comprehensive tool that allows us to obtain ample results at various levels of granularity when combining it with aggregation operators. Our study introduces a novel methodology that enables us to acquire input and output link sensitivities for all country pairings when an economic shock initiates or concludes within a country of interest. This innovative approach also facilitates the analysis of evolving trends in these link sensitivities, providing a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of shock propagation across the global network. Taking advantage of the time-series nature of the WIOD, our results reveal illustrative visualizations and quantative measures that characterize patterns of shock distribution and relationships among countries throughout the period from 2000 to 2014. Our methodology and results not only uncover valuable trends but also establish a structured approach to better understand the aggregate effects of shock distributions. Thus, this study could be helpful for policy makers to assess trade relationships between countries and obtain quantitative insights for making informed decisions as well as explore the overall state of the globalization as a whole.

International comparison of professional competency frameworks for nurses: a document analysis

BackgroundNursing competency frameworks describe the competencies; knowledge, skills and attitudes nurses should possess. Countries have their own framework. Knowledge of the content of professional competency frameworks in different countries can enhance the development of these frameworks and international collaborations.ObjectiveThis study examines how competencies and task divisions are described in the current professional competency frameworks for registered nurses (RNs with a Bachelor’s degree) in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom (UK), Canada and the United States (US).MethodsQualitative document analysis was conducted using the most recently published professional competency frameworks for registered nurses in the above-mentioned five countries.ResultsAll the competency frameworks distinguished categories of competencies. Three of the five frameworks explicitly mentioned the basis for the categorization: an adaptation of the CanMEDS model (Netherlands), European directives on the recognition of professional qualifications (Belgium) and an adapted inter-professional framework (US). Although there was variation in how competencies were grouped, we inductively identified ten generic competency domains: (1) Professional Attitude, (2) Clinical Care in Practice, (3) Communication and Collaboration, (4) Health Promotion and Prevention, (5) Organization and Planning of Care, (6) Leadership, (7) Quality and Safety of Care, (8) Training and (continuing) Education, (9) Technology and e-Health, (10) Support of Self-Management and Patient Empowerment. Country differences were found in some more specific competency descriptions. All frameworks described aspects related to the division of tasks between nurses on the one hand and physicians and other healthcare professionals on the other hand. However, these descriptions were rather limited and often imprecise.ConclusionsAlthough ten generic domains could be identified when analysing and comparing the competency frameworks, there are country differences in the categorizations and the details of the competencies described in the frameworks. These differences and the limited attention paid to the division of tasks might lead to cross-country differences in nursing practice and barriers to the international labour mobility of Bachelor-educated RNs.

Trends and Characteristics of International Labor Mobility

International labor mobility has become increasingly important in the era of globalization, with multinational corporations at the forefront of promoting this trend. This case study of Google illustrates how companies can promote internal talent mobility, invest in training and development programs, and attract and retain top talent. By embracing international labor mobility, companies can gain access to a wider pool of talent, expand their global reach, and gain insights into local markets and cultures. This paper examines the benefits and challenges of international labor mobility, and provides insights into best practices for companies seeking to develop a global workforce.

When Food is Finance: Seeking Global Justice for Migrant Workers

The steady growth of international labour mobility has been one of the defining features of globalization. Alongside the liberalization of international trade, labour mobility has been a key dynamic propelling economic development in the new millennium. In recent years, migrant labour is increasingly regulated via temporary schemes, deepening and widening migrant precarity. This paper argues that a growing reliance on temporary migrant workers reflects the financialization of global agriculture. Drawing on conceptual debates among scholars of critical finance studies, migration governance and food systems, it explores the implications of financialization for social justice work, asking how a systemic understanding of the migrant experience with financial institutions and practices might enhance rights-based advocacy.

The immigration scholarship of Stephen Castles

The immigration scholarship of Stephen Castles

Agrifood systems knowledge exchange through Australia‐Pacific circular migration schemes

AbstractPacific Island workers contribute significantly to Australiaʼs agriculture and food security through the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP). Previous studies show the economic benefits of the SWP to both Australian agro‐industries and Pacific workers. However, there are limited studies about the agricultural knowledge exchange that occurs via the circular migration enabled by the SWP, and the experiences of workers and employers as agricultural knowledge holders. With the SWP merged into the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme, there is an opportunity to help define how circular migration is both an economic and agricultural development policy. In this paper, we present findings from interviews with 63 workers (from Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu) about agricultural knowledge and skills acquired and exchanged via SWP participation. We provide a discussion of opportunities for knowledge exchange in international labour mobility, and areas of future research in circular migration.

Perlindungan Hukum Terhadap Tenaga Kerja Indonesia di Saudi Arabia Perspektif Hukum Indonesia dan Saudi Arabia

In Indonesia, labor is one of the drivers of economic life and is a resource that is quite abundant. Economic conditions that are less attractive in their own country and incomes that are quite large and appear more attractive in destination countries have become triggers for international labor mobility. And the destination of most Indonesian workers is Saudi Arabia. As a developed country and a recipient of workers from Indonesia, it is not necessarily supported by progress in legal protection for migrant workers working in Saudi Arabia. Even though in the end Saudi Arabia was represented by the Ministry of Manpower and had issued Labor Laws and Regulations. This article is a library research approach that is used is normative-juridical. The authors compare the concept of legal protection for migrant workers in Saudi Arabia according to Indonesian Law and Saudi Arabian Law. Based on the results of the research that has been done, it can be concluded that Law Number 13 of 2003 concerning Manpower and Law Number 39 of 2004 concerning the Placement and Protection of Overseas Workers, as well as the King's Decree No. (A/91) Basic Law of Governance and in the Labor Law issued by the Ministry of Manpower of Saudi Arabia No. M/51. It is a form of guarantee that the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Saudi Arabia provide legal protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers working in Saudi Arabia. The similarities in the concept of legal protection for migrant workers between the governments of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are both clearly stated in the laws and regulations of the two countries. The difference from the concept of legal protection for migrant workers lies in the handling process/field. In addition to the different legal basis, it is also difficult for Indonesian migrant workers to obtain definite legal protection for each case they experience. Saudi Arabia uses Islamic law or Sharia law as the legal basis so that the rules are set differently, so that the handling of the legal protection process for migrant workers is still weak.

Climate change adaptation in agriculture: Learning from an international labour mobility programme in Australia and the Pacific Islands region

Climate change is expected to seriously affect agricultural livelihoods and food security in all Pacific Island countries. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation contends that, to adapt, both ‘modern’ and Indigenous agricultural practices and knowledge are needed. A challenge lies in combining agricultural knowledge systems and enabling adaptive knowledge to be shared amongst Pacific Islanders. Opportunities to integrate different types of agricultural knowledge (including ‘modern’ and Indigenous) are needed. This paper argues that international labour mobility programmes provide an avenue for knowledge exchange that can support climate change adaptation in agriculture. It presents empirical evidence from research with 33 Pacific Islanders who grow crops in their home countries and were employed in Australia’s Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP). We demonstrate how SWP participation opened new possibilities for climate change adaptation in agriculture in the Pacific Islands. Adaptive knowledge stems from SWP workers’ exposure to different agricultural skills and ideas in Australia, combined with their knowledge and experience of crop production in their countries of origin. SWP participation created opportunities for workers to draw on different agricultural skills and knowledge on return to the Pacific Islands. The ability for SWP workers to then exchange adaptive knowledge with other Pacific Islanders is enabled by their social relationships, the likes of which an official agricultural extension officer might not have to the same degree. So far, such adaptive agricultural knowledge and skills exchanges are serendipitous. There is scope to explicitly build climate change knowledge exchange into agriculture-focused international labour mobility schemes.

Foreign workers, product quality, and trade: Evidence from a natural experiment

This paper shows that international labor mobility leads to higher-quality products, more trade, and more effective global value chains. Exploiting variation in the time and intensity at which Swiss localities (identified by their postal codes) were treated by the increasing availability of foreign workers caused by the implementation of the Swiss-EU Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, I find that the inflow of high-skilled European workers led to an upgrade in the quality of inputs imported from their origin countries. Better intermediates show to be associated with a higher quality of output, making Swiss products more appealing for international markets and boosting exports. Therefore, the efficacy of Swiss global value chains improved both upstream—thanks to higher-quality intermediate inputs brought by the intensification of the existing buyer-seller relations—and downstream—because higher-quality products eased increasing exports to existing buyers and helped finding new customers, especially in distant destinations.

Linking Internal Migration, Flow of Remittances and Household Wellbeing

Labor migration is usually considered as economically benefiting the household family members who are left behind through remittances. The extent of migration and remittances have shown significant growth however the empirical evidence on the casual impact of migration on economic status and wellbeing of those who are left behind is not well documented at the regional level in Pakistan. The study aimed to assess the impact of regional remittance flow on household economic status and wellbeing by using propensity score matching (PSM) technique. The first approach is to develop Multidimensional Poverty Index and second to show how pattern of inter and intra-provincial and regional remittances flow decreases the probability of poverty and affects the household wellbeing. For the analysis, the study utilized the nationally representative Pakistan Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2013–2014. The results of the analysis lead to the conclusion that internal labor mobility occurs because of poverty, instead of benefitting the households who are left behind further had dragged them into risk of poverty. The poor individuals moving to urban or other areas in search of job opportunities had not been able to support themselves in new areas but also had failed to support their family back at home.

Rekindling New Economic Geography in Times of COVID-19: Labor Mobility Responses to Health Shocks in Central and North America

This paper evaluates the potential responses of international labor mobility to the recent COVID-19 health shocks, using a New Economic Geography model inspired by recent events in Central and North America. The model suggests that the restraining impact of COVID-19 on migratory flows may retain potential emigrants in Mexico and Central America, enlarge the home market in the region, attract foreign and local businesses, and increase real wages. Moreover, this prediction unveils opportunities for the future from the opening of new, regular migratory pathways between Central America and Mexico. These would concentrate population and industry in Mexico, raise the market potential in the area and boost real wages in Mexico – and possibly in Central America as well – despite the partial deindustrialization of the Central American hinterland.

Temporary transnational labour mobility and gendered individualization in Europe

In a context of a new transnational division of labour, temporary international labour mobility is on the rise in Europe. In particular, recent decades have seen considerably more women seeking work experience abroad. Observers have been concerned with how such mobility is related to individualization, and in particular how it may challenge collective institutions, communities and families. The aim of this study is to explore such issues among women and men with international work experience. Using data from European Social Survey, the paper investigates previously mobile workers in terms of their current working and living conditions. Across genders, we consider different forms of individualization that may be associated with transnational labour mobility. While both women and men with transnational work experience generally feature strong strategic individualization, this is most pronounced among men. Hence, men's mobility is among other things associated with increased autonomy in working life, while – in contrast to women – it does not seem to hamper their integration in the sphere of social reproduction.

International labor migration in the development of modern Russia

This work is devoted to study of the transformations in international labor mobility in the Russian Federation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the article is to analyze the features of labor immigration to Russia in relation to formation and functioning of the national labor market during the active phase of the fight against coronavirus. In the course of work, statistical and sociological research methods were used. The empirical base of the study is the data of official statistical information and the results of sociological surveys of labor migrants from near and far abroad. The paper identifies and discloses current changes in the migration flows of foreign workers in the context of the development of the coronavirus epidemic. The impact of the epidemic on the processes of labor immigration and its consequences for the functioning of the foreign labor market was studied. The increased redundancy in the supply of foreign labor at the initial stage of the pandemic development is shown. The analysis of the problems of inclusion of foreign citizens in the social and economic development of Russian regions in connection with the processes of their adaptation to new social conditions of life is carried out. There are identified trends in changes in the socio-economic status and quality of life of working migrants in the context of the development of the coronavirus pandemic. There is shown the limited level of the access of migrant workers to the system of production and economic relations, as well as to social, medical and other socially significant services. The impact of the pandemic on the economic and migration behavior of migrant workers is considered. There are given estimates of the target settings of migrants for continuation of the labor activity in Russia and readiness to return to their homeland. Particular attention is paid to solving the problems of state migration policy in the field of using labor from abroad. It is substantiated that attraction of foreign labor to the national labor market requires development of organized forms of its involvement and a greater selectivity. The results of the study contained in the work can be used in practical work to improve the state migration policy of Russia in the field of regulating external labor migration

Labor exportation, transnational production politics, and the formation of exploitation relationships—a case study of Chinese migrant workers in Japan

In the context of globalization, the exporting of labor from developing countries to developed countries has shaped a relationship of exploitation between employers and employees. This study presents the case of Chinese migrant workers’ overtime pay in Japan and explores the formation mechanisms of exploitation using the analytical framework of “transnational production politics”. Transnational migrant workers often see overtime as an indispensable opportunity to generate extra income to support families back home. This need is being taken advantage of by employers who habitually reduce overtime pay or do not pay for overtime at all. Overtime pay often becomes a focal point of labor conflict. Because of the limited protections for migrant workers in the labor laws of host countries, the power granted to employers by the host country's labor system, competition from migrant workers of other nationalities, and the selective involvement of transnational intermediaries, Chinese migrants suffer a dilemma of either surrendering to low overtime pay or losing overtime work, or even their job altogether. Whether to resist or surrender, it seems that the outcome is all the same for migrant workers: they lose and employers win. This “transnational production” polity exercises its market authoritarianism. Elements such as the constraints of the foreign labor system, loopholes in the system used by employers, the global surplus labor supply, and the separation of the processes of labor maintenance and labor renewal in the mode of labor reproduction typical to migrant labor reflect the transnational production politics peculiar to international contract labor mobility. This becomes an important mechanism for the re-emergence of the forced exploitation of capital in developed capitalist countries. Unlike the exploitative relationship between local workers and employers in developed countries, the exploitation between migrant workers and employers is born out of imbalanced development between countries. Migrant workers not only have no access to protections afforded by the host country's welfare system, but also are controlled by strict laws regarding foreign labor and are threatened by competition from other migrant workers. All this has put employers in a strongly advantageous position in labor conflicts.

The effect of seasonal work visas on native employment: Evidence from US farm work in the Great Recession

AbstractEvidence on the labor‐market effect of immigration focuses on permanent migrants, though a large share of international labor mobility is temporary and seasonal. This paper estimates the marginal native employment effect of policy restrictions on foreign seasonal farm workers in the United States. It exploits two natural experiments: a legal requirement to give hiring preference to natives, and an exogenous change in natives' next‐best employment options during the Great Recession of 2007–2008. The local elasticity of natives' occupational labor supply is 0.0015, implying a minimal marginal effect of seasonal work visa restrictions on native employment.

Migration and Labour Mobility: The Narratives of Immigrant Women in Toronto, 1970s–1990s

Oral histories can amplify the voices of marginalized, racialized women who have been otherwise excluded from history. The stories of six Caribbean women of colour who migrated to Canada between the 1970s and the 1990s lay bare the opportunities and the challenges of international labour mobility and migration. Shaped by the intersectionality of race, class, gender, and citizenship, the women were able to adjust to the demographic, social, political, and economic changes of the late twentieth century’s global economy by harnessing labour mobility. These women—and their life stories—form a salient part of the social history of immigration, domestic service, and health care in late twentieth century Toronto.

Foreign Workers, Product Quality, and Trade: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

This paper shows that international labor mobility attenuates information frictions, and leads to higher-quality products, more trade, and more effective global value chains. Exploiting the variation in the time and intensity at which Swiss postal codes were hit by the increasing availability of foreign workers due to the implementation of the Swiss-EU Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, I find that the inflow of high-skilled European workers led to an upgrade in the quality of inputs imported from their origin countries. Better intermediates improved the quality of output, making Swiss products more appealing for international markets and boosting exports. Therefore, the efficacy of Swiss global value chains improved: upstream thanks to higher-quality intermediate inputs brought by the intensification of the existing buyer-seller relations; and downstream because higher-quality products eased increasing exports to existing buyers and helped finding new customers, especially in distant destinations.

Labor Market Integration and Fiscal Competition

AbstractThis paper studies the long‐run impact of international labor mobility on a union of countries with an integrated labor market. We build a multicountry model populated by overlapping generations of households with endogenous cross‐country migration flows. Independent governments use fiscal measures to compete for labor. The model is calibrated to match the empirical economic and migration patterns in the European Union. We find that the fiscal‐competition motive has a quantitatively significant impact on optimal fiscal policy, decreasing the average debt‐to‐GDP ratio by 12 percentage points (p.p.) and the average labor income tax by 1 p.p. relative to the no‐competition scenario.