Labor+flows


 * International Labour Migration Flows **

International Labour Migration is an important component of economic integration. It refers to the movement of people across national boundaries just like the FDI. But FDI involves money. Labour migration plays very crucial role in the process of globalization and the homogenization of the landscape for that matter. This sections examine the causes and effects of such migration.

In countries with low standards of living and shortage of jobs, people migrate to neigbouring countries hoping to find jobs. Many migrants move for the following reasons:
 * Returning home after several years with their ‘fortune’.
 * Bringing their families to join them
 * Working seasonally at harvest times

Economic Migrants
 * They are people who move voluntarily from one country to another hoping to find jobs and consequently a better quality of life and standard of living.

// Case Studies: //
 * Migration of Turks to West Germany ( New Wider World)
 * Migration of Mexicans to California in USA(New Wider World)
 * Ghanaian Doctors and Nurses to UK
 * Mov’t of Burmese and Laos to Thailand. (Planet Geog pp. 580 -581)

Reasons:
 * Case Study 1: Turks in Germany **
 * West Germany needed rebuilding after 2nd World War.
 * More job vacancies than were workers available
 * West Germany become wealthy and attracted migrants from Southern Europe and Middle Asia
 * Jobs taken by Turks in W. Germany
 * Farming in rural areas
 * Factory workers
 * Construction industry

__ Losing Country: E.g Turkey __ __ Gaining Country: e.g. W. Germany __
 * Advantages of Migrant workers **
 * Reduces pressure on jobs and resources
 * Loses people of child-bearing age-thereby reducing child birth
 * Migrants develop new skills which they take back home
 * Money earned sent back home in form of remittances
 * Overcomes labour shortage
 * Labour prepared to do dirty, menial jobs
 * Prepared to work long hours for less pay
 * Some enjoy services of highly skilled migrants.
 * Cultural advantages and links

__ Losing country - Turkey __ __ Receiving country - Germany __
 * Disadvantages of Migrant Workers **
 * Loses people in working age groups
 * Loses people most likely to have some educational skills
 * Many males leave causing a division of families
 * Left with an elderly population and so a high population of elderly
 * Pressure on jobs
 * Low quality housing, overcrowding, lack of basic amenities
 * Racial tension
 * Lack of opportunities to practice their own religion, culture etc
 * Language difficulties


 * Problems facing migrants **
 * Difficulties in finding jobs
 * Language difficulties
 * Cultural differences
 * Racial prejudices
 * Poor Housing, resulting in overcrowding
 * High birth rate and larger families
 * Fewer educational opportunities
 * Lack of money and lack of access to some services
 * High rate of crime – violence, drugs and residents complain of police harassment.