International Labor Migration Research Articles

Europe and Arab States’ Migration-related Instruments with Africa: Dilemma of Soft Power and Conflictual Interests

The national and regional interests of the European Union, oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council and Africa are conflictual in addressing international labour migration. This underscores the structure and ineffectiveness of bilateral migration instruments. The European Union canvasses for migrants’ returns, readmission and outsourcing of national border controls; Arab states show reluctance to stop the predominant employer–sponsorship system that curtails labour migrants’ human rights, while African states detest migrants’ return and readmission, and prefer liberalisation of legal migration and flow of remittances. This article is anchored on the hegemonic stability and regime frame of interventionist liberalism theoretical perspectives to highlight Europe’s soft power in migration partnerships or agreements deployed via financial aid and development projects as a way to drive the migration-development-security nexus with African countries. Essentially, African states’ asymmetric economic relationship with Europe has accentuated the carrot-and-stick approach, while Arab states’ slow pace in allowing the mobility of African labour migrants has led to a reduction in remittance flows. It is recommended that the dialogues between the regional blocs and countries leading to labour migration agreements must find a common ground of mutual interests for effective partnerships to emerge.

Marxist past to speculative futures: migration, land markets, and political storytelling in Nepal’s Tarai

ABSTRACT In southeastern Nepal, international labor migration has led to complex socioeconomic changes, including expanding smallholder landownership, class differentiation, and the transformation of land from a productive to a speculative asset. Based on ethnographic research focusing on villagers’ narratives, this article finds that political imaginaries drawing on rural Marxist thought play a crucial role for interpreting recent historical experience but are losing purchase amidst increasingly dispersed, opaque, and contradictory processes of accumulation. It then identifies the emergence of a new speculative imaginary, through which villagers attempt to navigate but also reinforce these new constellations of inequality, capital, and labor.

Statistical analysis of international labour migration strategy from India to the Gulf countries

This study investigates the economic implications of migration, specifically focusing on the monetary expenses incurred during the migration process and the fundraising methods employed by the Gulf migrant workers from Bihar. The research involved a sample of 400 participants obtained using a three-stage cluster sampling method. The participants were Gulf migrant labourers originating from the Siwan and Gopalganj districts of Bihar. The findings of the chi-square test indicate that both technical education and prior job experience have a significant impact on reducing migration expenses. However, it is worth noting that the process of getting visas through agents is costly, even though the majority of migrant workers rely on the services of agents. The average overall expense for Gulf migration exceeds three times the earnings acquired in the destination country. The regression analysis revealed that several factors, such as the age of migrant workers, technical education, source of visa, level of education, and prior job experience, had a statistically significant influence on the cost of migration. For the fund-raising strategy, migrant labourers rely largely on their parents and social networks. The practice of obtaining funds from moneylenders is still prevalent among migrants. The study sheds light on the key determinants of migration costs for workers and emphasizes the crucial role of social networks and family support in facilitating migration. Additionally, this study offers policy recommendations aimed at reducing the financial burden associated with migration and it proposes that the government should engage in partnerships with financial institutions to establish dedicated lending initiatives for migrant workers, referred to as migration loans.

Preconditions and Sources of International Labour Migration in the Era of Globalisation (Security Aspects)

Preconditions and Sources of International Labour Migration in the Era of Globalisation (Security Aspects)

Factors associated with depressive symptoms among returnee migrants and non-migrants working adults in Madi municipality in Nepal: a community-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundMental health is a growing concern worldwide. It is not well understood whether international labour migrants from Nepal who return to Nepal are at higher risk of developing mental health problems. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of and examine the associated factors for depressive symptoms among returnee migrants and non-migrant working male adults in Nepal.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of a probability-based sample of 725 participants was conducted in February 2020. The sample was comprised of two groups based on migration status: returning migrants and non-migrants. The 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21) questionnaire was used to assess depressive symptoms. Logistic regression was applied to investigate factors associated with symptoms of depression.ResultsThe overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 10.1%. However, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was lower (7%) among returnee migrants compared to non-migrants (13.7%). Men in the lower income group had a higher chance of having depressive (AOR = 5.88, 95% CI: 2.17–15.96) than those in the higher income group. Similarly, Buddhists and Christians were more likely to be depressed (AOR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.03–4.68) than Hindus. Participants with more than two children had a higher chance of having of depressive symptoms (AOR = 4.80, 95% CI: 1.15–20.05) compared with those without children. Unmarried men were more likely to be depressed (AOR = 4.07, 95%, CI:1.11–14.92) than those who were married.ConclusionThe working Nepali adult male population in Nepal, including returning migrants, is at risk of depressive symptoms, but this association was lower in those in the higher income group, returnee migrants, those who were married, Hindus and those with no children. Our results highlight the need to monitor and develop national policies to ensure the mental health of the Nepali male adult population, including returnee migrants.

Analysing transnational labour mobility regimes

Labour regime analysis is enjoying a resurgence as a way of (re-)centring workers at the heart of questions concerning the organisation of production and social reproduction in the global economy (Baglioni et al, 2022). Migrant labour, and specifically the regulation of migrant labour, is part and parcel of these dynamics yet is often left to the sidelines of labour process studies. Bringing together six papers presented at the 2023 International Labour Process Conference at Strathclyde University, this themed issue of Work in the Global Economy considers how our understandings of international labour migration and its regulation can be extended through a transnational labour mobility regime approach. The rationale is to bring together labour process approaches and theoretical insights from migration studies. These six contributions examine how transnational labour mobility within and from the majority world intersects with a variety of specific local labour control regimes (Jonas, 1996), collectively foregrounding how the bordering of capital-labour relations (within/ beyond the worksite/ state) informs workers’ individual and collective struggles for life and livelihoods.

Trade and Labor-Allocation: Evidence from Sectoral Embodied Labor Transfer between China and Africa

Trade and Labor-Allocation: Evidence from Sectoral Embodied Labor Transfer between China and Africa

Правовое регулирование трудовой миграции: перспективы внедрения восточной модели

The concepts of regulating labour migration in Russia are retrospectively considered. A detailed description of the Kafala system underlying the regulation of labour migration in the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf is given. Promising principles of legal regulation of international labour migration in the Russian Federation are formulated. The conclusion is substantiated about the possibility of enshrining in national legislation and effectively using the policy, concept and individual elements of regulation of international labour migration in Arab countries.

Exploring the drivers of internal labour migration for the regions of Great Britain

ABSTRACT The role of internal migration in reducing regional inequalities is a common feature of classical economic theory and urban economics models. If regional migration is important in reducing spatial disparities, then understanding its causes, and barriers, is crucial. This paper explores the drivers of regional migration behaviour in Great Britain. Findings point to rigidities in housing that deter mobility across regions; and regional differences in the drivers and effects of regional migration. Our paper supports greater focus on spatial disaggregation, since migration studies conducted at the national level ignore important spatial differences in migration behaviour.

Race, Gender and Contemporary International Labour Migration Regimes. 21st-Century Coolies?, edited by Leticia Saucedo and Robyn Magalit Rodriguez

Race, Gender and Contemporary International Labour Migration Regimes. 21st-Century Coolies?, edited by Leticia Saucedo and Robyn Magalit Rodriguez

"In the army I'm no longer typecast as the son of migrant workers": modalities of inclusion and belonging among children of migrant workers in the military in Israel.

This article explores how non-citizen minorities experience military service, focusing on children of international labor migrants who served in the Israel Defense Forces. During the 1990's, Israel witnessed an influx of migrant workers, primarily from the Philippines, Latin America and Africa. However, due to Israeli immigration policies, neither they nor their Israeli-born children were eligible for citizenship. Consequently, upon reaching the age of 18, unlike their Israeli peers, these children were not recruited into the army. Furthermore, they lived under constant threat of deportation. Due to advocacy by civil society organizations, in 2006 and 2010 the government granted civic status (permanent residency) to approximately 1,500 children. This made them eligible for military service, a somewhat unique situation globally. Upon completion of their first year of military service, they were eligible for Israeli citizenship and their immediate family members were eligible for permanent residency. Through qualitative and quantitative research, we examine inclusion and belonging amongst children of migrant workers who served in the military. Our findings suggest that military service enabled them to overcome the exclusionary boundaries they experienced as children in three ways. Firstly, they achieved formal belonging by receiving citizenship. Secondly, they achieved informal belonging through the cultural and social capital this service accrued within Israeli society. Finally, for some, military service deepened their knowledge of Judaism and, in certain cases, led to conversion, thus fostering religious belonging. These three aspects facilitated inclusion and a sense of belonging for these formerly marginalized children while also enhancing their legitimacy within Israeli society. This unique case study contributes to ongoing global debates about the experiences of minority groups in the military.

THE COUNTRIES OF WESTERN ASIA IN THE PROCESSES OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR MIGRATION: FEATURES OF THE XXI CENTURY

The countries of Western Asia simultaneously act as centers of attraction in the processes of international labor migration, and countries, which let their citizens travel abroad to find work (are labor migrants). We analyze the situation in the field of international labor migration in 14 countries of Western Asia, excluding the former republics of the USSR, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, which are now included by international organizations in the group of countries in the region. The situation in the field of labor migration in the region is being updated in connection, firstly, with the growth of the economies of the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC) and, in general, some stabilization of the socio-economic and political situation in the West Asian region, secondly, with the trends to overcome the restrictions that took place due to the spread of coronavirus infection in the world and in the region, and, thirdly, with the region's attempts to transform the national economy and implement new advanced industries and productions based on innovation and digitalization. It is important to study the experience of the GCC countries in the field of labor migration in order to increase the efficiency and reduce the costs of MMRS in the Russian Federation. The article attempts to analyze the situation in the field of international labor migration in Western Asia, and primarily in the GCC, which actively accept labor from other states of the region and non-regional powers. The author concludes that the region will retain its role as a receiving center for foreign labor in the future on the basis of an adequate policy of the recipient countries. The geography of the countries of origin of immigrants also generally remains unchanged. The research period covers 2000–2022. The author used traditional methods of economic analysis to conduct the research. The sources of statistical information were data from international databases, primarily UNCTAD, as well as regional reports of international organizations.

Less than equals, more than comrades: variety of patron–client relations in the Hawaiian longline tuna fishing industry

This research focuses on international labor migrants who have the least freedom of movement (as they are confined on fishing boats), but who, paradoxically, are apparently the most well traveled fishermen operating in the Pacific Ocean. This anthropological research aims to analyze the patron–client relationship in Honolulu harbor. The research also examines inter-ethnic entanglements and cultural dynamics within the local Hawaiian fishing community. This article is the second of a two-part series: the first article was based on an ethnographic multi-sited study of longline tuna fishing boats fishing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

International Cooperation Between Universities And Business As A Condition For Raising Human Development Level

One of the main indicators of human development is the integral indicator Human Development Index, which includes an assessment of the quality and standard of living of the population, and also takes into account the level of educational development of the population. The authors identified the development of network interaction between universities and business at the international level as one of the ways to increase the level of this indicator. The article analyzes the indicators of life expectancy, the level of income of the population, as well as some macroeconomic indicators of the six neighboring countries. Conclusions are drawn about a possible increase in the Human Development Index indicator based on improving the network interaction between the higher education system and the real sector of the economy, and one of the factors for enhancing network interaction in the labor market is labor mobility, and at the level of macroeconomic development international labor migration. In addition, the authors proposed a number of measures to strengthen the tightness of the network interaction between the customers of personnel and the educational services market, and indicated the forms of such interaction at the international and domestic level.

Consequence of international labor migration in world practice.

Abstract The world labor market is characterized by growing dynamics and strong volumes of labor export and import, which is realized through international labor migration. The movement of the labor force carries out several important functions in the global economy – from income redistribution to the exchange of professional experience, the spread of new innovative technologies, and the growth of labor productivity. In addition, the socio-economic implications of international labor migration for donor countries and recipient countries are ambiguous, they differ in the short, medium, and long-term periods.The study aims to analyze the impact of the socio-economic consequences of international labor migration. The article also focuses on the world experience in shaping and influencing the socio-economic consequences of international labor migration for the donor countries and for the importing countries of the labor force.

The Impact of International Labor Migration on the Balance in Regional Labor Markets

In recent years, the demand in the Russian labor market continues to grow, while the labor force, which determines the supply, on the contrary, is declining. In the current situation, business points to the desirability of expanding the involvement of migrant workers, but government officials express concerns that this might create a threat to the employment of Russian citizens. The purpose of this study is to determine the contribution of external labor migration to the formation of the labor force in Russian regions, considering the specifics of the reproduction of local labor resources. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the analysis of the latest statistical data on external labor migration and labor markets detailing by regions of Russia. The authors pay special attention not only to the quantitative characteristics of the flow of foreign workers, but also to the quality indicators of these labor resources. The relevance of the study is due to changes in the labor markets balance and migration trends and under the influence of powerful stress factors in recent years, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of a special military operation, and a new wave of sanctions. The empirical basis of the study is an array of official statistics, for the analysis of which standard statistical methods are applied. Based on the results obtained, the authors discuss the effectiveness of modern federal and regional migration policies. In conclusion, the results of the study are summed up and possible directions for improving instruments for managing the movement of foreign labor are identified. The authors conclude that today the system for regulating the mobility of labor resources does not ensure that their supply meets the changing needs of the labor market, and justify the need to develop a selective system for attracting labor migrants.

International labor migration policy of the European Union

The cross-border movement of labour is associated with an objective need for the host country to accept and comply with the relevant rules. This problem has always existed for the European Union and its member states due to the attractiveness of the region for migrant workers, relatively high standard of living and the widely diversified sectoral structure of the economy. Based on the analysis of the relevant directives, the article chronologises the stages of regulation of international labour migration in the EU with an emphasis on the present. Close attention is given to the EU regulatory practice of the issues of attracting highly qualified and seasonal labour third-countries workers, students and researchers, facilitating intra-corporate transfers. In this context the regulatory vector in the area of international labour migration to the EU is aimed at obtaining benefits from the influx of the necessary labour force through the creation of favorable conditions for its integration into European society. The implementation of Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment will depend on the applicable practices of the EU member states. The study reveals the dualism of the economic effects of international labor migration received by the EU at present: positive in the form of a relative reduction in unit costs due to labor components, the flow of technological knowledge and negative ones associated with the displacement of part of local labor resources, the outflow of funds from foreign workers, changes in the structure of aggregate demand, the impact on the level of wages, aggravation of interethnic and interfaith conflicts against the background of a low level of integration of foreigners into local society.

Transformation of International Labor Migration in the Russian Far East in the Post-Soviet Period

Transformation of International Labor Migration in the Russian Far East in the Post-Soviet Period

International labour migration, farmland fallowing, livelihood diversification and technology adoption in Nepal

This article investigates the effect of temporary international labour migration on farmland fallowing, adoption of agricultural intensification technologies and livelihood diversification. Using nationally representative data, combined with empirical methods that allow causal inference, the authors find that households with international migrants are over 50 per cent more likely (based on propensity score matching estimates) to have fallow land than those without. Temporary international migration promotes the adoption of some agricultural intensification technologies and causes rural households to diversify their livelihoods. Land fallowing may increase food insecurity, while agricultural intensification may improve it, for an uncertain net effect.

Disgraceful return: Gulf migration and shifting national narratives amid COVID-19

ABSTRACTSeveral Asian countries that encourage international migration of labour call their emigrants ‘national heroes and heroines’ because of their contributions to foreign currency reserves and subsequent national development. However, the massive involuntary return amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the health risk associated with returning from virus-affected regions, such as the Gulf states, call the development narratives of migrants and migrant remittances into question. This study examines the experiences of Gulf return migrants in Bangladesh, focusing on their arrivals at the airport, their travels home, their receptions at the origin communities, their financial hardship upon return and the shifting development narratives in the origin country. The paper draws on primary data, collected through interviews of Gulf returnees in Bangladesh between 2020 and 2021. This study finds that the image of migrants as ‘national heroes’ is not only challenged during the pandemic but replaced almost overnight by a new one, such as ‘COVID-19 super-spreaders’. This research reports that migrants confront with unpleasant circumstances during their return migration process that render their return to their country of origin disgraceful. The paper stresses developing policy measures to protect involuntary returnees from victimisation and disgraceful circumstances.