Immigrant Workers Essay
Table of Contents | | | | | | | | Topic | Page Number | | | Abstract | 2 | | | Introduction | 3 | | • | Reasons for High Foreign Labour Attraction into the country | 3 | | • | Problems faced due to increase in the number of immigrant workers | 4 | | | Proposed Changes | 5 | | | Justification | 7 | | | Conclusion | 8 | | | Reference List | 9 |
ABSTRACT
This assignment is based on immigrant workers in Maldives and their impact on economical problem of high unemployment rate in the country. The assignment briefly gives an overview of who an immigrant worker is, how they affect unemployment rates in the country, along with suggested solutions to overcome these problems. Furthermore, …show more content…
the assignment will highlight upon the negative impacts on the economy due to illegal immigrants and suggested solutions for this problem as well.
INTRODUCTION
Migration is a continuous process in today’s diversified world. People migrates for many different reasons namely; * Moving to a safer location * Better employment opportunities * Better healthcare facilities * Better Education etc.
People coming into the country are known as immigrants and people moving out of the country as emigrants. The vast majority of them take place for employment reasons (Senior Immigration Officer Ibrahim Shifan, 2011). In Maldives, the vast majority of migrants include laborers from neighboring countries immigrating into Maldives in search of employment opportunities. The number of immigrants keeps increasing with an enormous amount of them coming into the country illegally. Due to this reason the unemployment rate of the country keeps escalating consequently.
There are immigrant workers working in professional fields such as doctors, nurses, teachers etc. But most of the expatriate workers work in the construction sector.
REASONS FOR HIGH FOREIGN LABOUR ATTRACTION INTO THE COUNTRY * The high wage gap between Maldives and its neighboring countries.
The majority of South Asian countries are developing countries. In comparison, our standard of living and per capita income is much higher when compared to our neighboring countries (Shifan. I., Oct 2011). This attracts foreign workers coming for a better wage. * High unemployment rates in the bordering countries such as India, Srilanka etc.
The unemployment rate of neighbor countries is high, making them it difficult for them to find work in their native. Therefore they search for employment opportunities in the immediate vicinity.
* Sudden boom in the construction industry of the Maldives
In recent years, Maldives has experienced a sudden boom in the construction industry with the high demand for land in the capital city Male’. The need for cheap labour in the construction industry was met by the readily available cheap labour force of neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Srilanka etc.
* The remarkable economic growth in the Maldives during the past three decades.
The economic growth has created multiple economic opportunities and thousands of jobs.
The government has not been able to invest productively to create labor force for the economic demands, requiring the dependence on foreign professionals such as teachers etc.
PROBLEMS FACED DUE TO INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS
The increasing number of expatriate workers is a challenging issue to the Maldives. The government over the years has tried different tactics to control the immigration of foreign workers into the country, but little has been accomplished. Due to the increasing number of immigrants, the country is facing overcrowding issues as well as depletion of foreign currency. We also face the increased pressure on infrastructure and health issues.
Number of illegal immigrants also keeps escalating. Illegal immigrants are those people who immigrated into the country without proper documentations. They won’t have legal documents and work permits with …show more content…
them.
One reason for inability in dealing with the increasing number of immigrants is the issue of societal stereo typing blue collar jobs as jobs performed by unskilled expatriates.
Even though much employment opportunities are created in the ever growing economy, most of them are in the lower levels of the organization, namely blue collar jobs. A blue collar worker is a member of the working class who typically performs manual labor, unlike the white collar worker who performs his duties non-manually often in an office or in service industry (Wikipedia). Such stereotyping has lead to a decrease in availability of local labour for the existing blue collar jobs.
PROPOSED CHANGES
For overcoming the problems mentioned, there are many different approaches we could implement at individual and national level. For instance; * Educating the youth, future workforce
The government can invest in educating and training the youth of the nation, with regard to blue collar jobs and how it helps in the economic growth of the nation as a whole. We can imprint in the future workforce of the country, that blue collar jobs are not necessarily for unskilled foreign laborers, but they are also skilled professionals at their field of work contributing to the overall economic growth of the country.
* Educating on blue collar jobs
The government can try to make awareness campaigns for the youth on blue collar jobs and try to stop stereo typing them as work done by unskilled expatriate
workers. * Control of Illegal Immigrants
We can try to control the illegal immigrants into the country by implementing smart border control and increasing the security deposits. We could also make use of fully integrated databases in which case duplication and variation of data can be avoided. (Shifan I., 2011). We can also try to control the level of immigrants into the country by a stricter quota system and increasing the amount payable as security deposit fee for the expatriate worker. The expatriate worker can be allowed to be recruited on the condition that the person would be sent back to his country if he/she is found incompetent for the relevant job.
* Encouraging school leavers to join work force.
Most school leavers do not join the work force (Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, 2009). Consequently, unemployment rate rises for youth. Therefore, encouraging the school leavers to join the workforce by giving ample information with regard to their queries on job markets should be established.
* Encouraging school drop outs to join work force.
There are a significant number of school drop outs each year. The government can try to make productive use of them by giving them vocational training facilities so that they are not wasted away in gang fights and drugs and other ill-affects due to unemployment.
School drop outs more often than not end up with street gangs and end up in jail after much misdemeanor acts. The government can try to encourage them to join the workforce by providing them adequate vocational training facilities, so that they can work their way into becoming responsible citizens of the nation.
* Employers outlining blue collar jobs with opportunity for advancement
One of the main issues of Maldivian youth not taking up on a blue collar job is that the job does not give much opportunity for advancement. Employers should get the opportunity for training and professional guidance for advancement in their field of work.
* Working conditions
Another reason for Maldivian youth for not joining blue collar jobs is that, the working conditions for such jobs are very poor. The employers prefer foreign workers for such jobs as foreign workers are reluctant to complain regarding these issues. Hence, for getting local employees for these jobs, employers should facilitate good working conditions such as safety issues for construction workers.
* Providing sufficient salaries
One of the main reasons why young people are not interested in joining the work force is because of insufficient salaries when compared with the high cost of living. Employers could try to allocate salary according to the job specifications.
JUSTIFICATION
The proposed changes will lead to the prosperity of the economic situation in the country as they will lead to increase in the number of employment opportunity to the locals. The reduction of foreign nationals working in the country will help to minimize the drainage of foreign currency out of the country, helping in stability of the economic activity of the nation.
As for the employment opportunities created in the Maldives, it is increasing day by day. But the demand for white collar jobs is increasing while demand for blue collar jobs is not. The answer to this complex issue is providing proper training and education for the youth with regard to the problem in hand. The thinking of stereo typing blue collar jobs as works done by unskilled and unprofessional expatriate workers, have to be removed by making people aware of the consequences of having these type of thinking in the society.
We can train school drop outs in different skills, making the best use out of them, and giving them an opportunity to enthusiastically work for the prosperity in life. The number of youth wondering aimlessly in the streets is getting high day by day.
The government has to adopt proper planning and encouragement course of action for motivating the young Maldivians and get them to contribute responsibly towards the economic growth.
CONCLUSION
The large expatriate work force in Maldives absorbs a huge proportion of our foreign earnings and despite employers' knowledge of its long term effects on our economy, they still continue to find foreigners to fill in jobs even less skilled Maldivians can do. Due to this fact, many families suffer as they face difficulty to support their families and also in the end become a burden on the economy. We need the young generation to change their attitude and perspective views on seeking for jobs. The employers need to respect and understand the terms of equal opportunities and equal pay.
We can conclude by going through this project, increasing number of immigrant workers has a huge impact in the economic growth of the country. Though we can say that they are contributing to the growth by doing their work, in the long run, we cannot say that they create a beneficial effect on our economy. Due to the increasing number of expatriate workers, unemployment rate in the country keeps increasing and the drainage of foreign currency out of the country is also high.
The government needs to look into the problems the young job-seekers face and establish a career education and training institute that concentrates on fulfilling the demands of employment needs in the 21st century in the Maldives. To overcome the obstacles of unemployment, the government has to work along with private sector employers, to educate and train the local youth for encouraging them to join the workforce and contribute responsibly towards the growth of the nation as a whole.
REFERENCE LIST
Shifan. I (5th October, 2011) Lecture Slides: Immigration Lecture : Migration
Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (2009): Rapid Assessment of the Employment Situation in the Maldives.
Capitalism and Labour Migration: The Drastic Duo Retrieved 20th October, 2011 from http://www.haveeru.com.mv/feature/3450
Blue Collar worker Retrieved 20th October, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-collar_worker
White Collar worker Retrieved 20th October, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-collar_worker
ABSTRACT
This assignment is based on immigrant workers in Maldives and their impact on economical problem of high unemployment rate in the country. The assignment briefly gives an overview of who an immigrant worker is, how they affect unemployment rates in the country, along with suggested solutions to overcome these problems. Furthermore, …show more content…
the assignment will highlight upon the negative impacts on the economy due to illegal immigrants and suggested solutions for this problem as well.
INTRODUCTION
Migration is a continuous process in today’s diversified world. People migrates for many different reasons namely; * Moving to a safer location * Better employment opportunities * Better healthcare facilities * Better Education etc.
People coming into the country are known as immigrants and people moving out of the country as emigrants. The vast majority of them take place for employment reasons (Senior Immigration Officer Ibrahim Shifan, 2011). In Maldives, the vast majority of migrants include laborers from neighboring countries immigrating into Maldives in search of employment opportunities. The number of immigrants keeps increasing with an enormous amount of them coming into the country illegally. Due to this reason the unemployment rate of the country keeps escalating consequently.
There are immigrant workers working in professional fields such as doctors, nurses, teachers etc. But most of the expatriate workers work in the construction sector.
REASONS FOR HIGH FOREIGN LABOUR ATTRACTION INTO THE COUNTRY * The high wage gap between Maldives and its neighboring countries.
The majority of South Asian countries are developing countries. In comparison, our standard of living and per capita income is much higher when compared to our neighboring countries (Shifan. I., Oct 2011). This attracts foreign workers coming for a better wage. * High unemployment rates in the bordering countries such as India, Srilanka etc.
The unemployment rate of neighbor countries is high, making them it difficult for them to find work in their native. Therefore they search for employment opportunities in the immediate vicinity.
* Sudden boom in the construction industry of the Maldives
In recent years, Maldives has experienced a sudden boom in the construction industry with the high demand for land in the capital city Male’. The need for cheap labour in the construction industry was met by the readily available cheap labour force of neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Srilanka etc.
* The remarkable economic growth in the Maldives during the past three decades.
The economic growth has created multiple economic opportunities and thousands of jobs.
The government has not been able to invest productively to create labor force for the economic demands, requiring the dependence on foreign professionals such as teachers etc.
PROBLEMS FACED DUE TO INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS
The increasing number of expatriate workers is a challenging issue to the Maldives. The government over the years has tried different tactics to control the immigration of foreign workers into the country, but little has been accomplished. Due to the increasing number of immigrants, the country is facing overcrowding issues as well as depletion of foreign currency. We also face the increased pressure on infrastructure and health issues.
Number of illegal immigrants also keeps escalating. Illegal immigrants are those people who immigrated into the country without proper documentations. They won’t have legal documents and work permits with …show more content…
them.
One reason for inability in dealing with the increasing number of immigrants is the issue of societal stereo typing blue collar jobs as jobs performed by unskilled expatriates.
Even though much employment opportunities are created in the ever growing economy, most of them are in the lower levels of the organization, namely blue collar jobs. A blue collar worker is a member of the working class who typically performs manual labor, unlike the white collar worker who performs his duties non-manually often in an office or in service industry (Wikipedia). Such stereotyping has lead to a decrease in availability of local labour for the existing blue collar jobs.
PROPOSED CHANGES
For overcoming the problems mentioned, there are many different approaches we could implement at individual and national level. For instance; * Educating the youth, future workforce
The government can invest in educating and training the youth of the nation, with regard to blue collar jobs and how it helps in the economic growth of the nation as a whole. We can imprint in the future workforce of the country, that blue collar jobs are not necessarily for unskilled foreign laborers, but they are also skilled professionals at their field of work contributing to the overall economic growth of the country.
* Educating on blue collar jobs
The government can try to make awareness campaigns for the youth on blue collar jobs and try to stop stereo typing them as work done by unskilled expatriate
workers. * Control of Illegal Immigrants
We can try to control the illegal immigrants into the country by implementing smart border control and increasing the security deposits. We could also make use of fully integrated databases in which case duplication and variation of data can be avoided. (Shifan I., 2011). We can also try to control the level of immigrants into the country by a stricter quota system and increasing the amount payable as security deposit fee for the expatriate worker. The expatriate worker can be allowed to be recruited on the condition that the person would be sent back to his country if he/she is found incompetent for the relevant job.
* Encouraging school leavers to join work force.
Most school leavers do not join the work force (Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, 2009). Consequently, unemployment rate rises for youth. Therefore, encouraging the school leavers to join the workforce by giving ample information with regard to their queries on job markets should be established.
* Encouraging school drop outs to join work force.
There are a significant number of school drop outs each year. The government can try to make productive use of them by giving them vocational training facilities so that they are not wasted away in gang fights and drugs and other ill-affects due to unemployment.
School drop outs more often than not end up with street gangs and end up in jail after much misdemeanor acts. The government can try to encourage them to join the workforce by providing them adequate vocational training facilities, so that they can work their way into becoming responsible citizens of the nation.
* Employers outlining blue collar jobs with opportunity for advancement
One of the main issues of Maldivian youth not taking up on a blue collar job is that the job does not give much opportunity for advancement. Employers should get the opportunity for training and professional guidance for advancement in their field of work.
* Working conditions
Another reason for Maldivian youth for not joining blue collar jobs is that, the working conditions for such jobs are very poor. The employers prefer foreign workers for such jobs as foreign workers are reluctant to complain regarding these issues. Hence, for getting local employees for these jobs, employers should facilitate good working conditions such as safety issues for construction workers.
* Providing sufficient salaries
One of the main reasons why young people are not interested in joining the work force is because of insufficient salaries when compared with the high cost of living. Employers could try to allocate salary according to the job specifications.
JUSTIFICATION
The proposed changes will lead to the prosperity of the economic situation in the country as they will lead to increase in the number of employment opportunity to the locals. The reduction of foreign nationals working in the country will help to minimize the drainage of foreign currency out of the country, helping in stability of the economic activity of the nation.
As for the employment opportunities created in the Maldives, it is increasing day by day. But the demand for white collar jobs is increasing while demand for blue collar jobs is not. The answer to this complex issue is providing proper training and education for the youth with regard to the problem in hand. The thinking of stereo typing blue collar jobs as works done by unskilled and unprofessional expatriate workers, have to be removed by making people aware of the consequences of having these type of thinking in the society.
We can train school drop outs in different skills, making the best use out of them, and giving them an opportunity to enthusiastically work for the prosperity in life. The number of youth wondering aimlessly in the streets is getting high day by day.
The government has to adopt proper planning and encouragement course of action for motivating the young Maldivians and get them to contribute responsibly towards the economic growth.
CONCLUSION
The large expatriate work force in Maldives absorbs a huge proportion of our foreign earnings and despite employers' knowledge of its long term effects on our economy, they still continue to find foreigners to fill in jobs even less skilled Maldivians can do. Due to this fact, many families suffer as they face difficulty to support their families and also in the end become a burden on the economy. We need the young generation to change their attitude and perspective views on seeking for jobs. The employers need to respect and understand the terms of equal opportunities and equal pay.
We can conclude by going through this project, increasing number of immigrant workers has a huge impact in the economic growth of the country. Though we can say that they are contributing to the growth by doing their work, in the long run, we cannot say that they create a beneficial effect on our economy. Due to the increasing number of expatriate workers, unemployment rate in the country keeps increasing and the drainage of foreign currency out of the country is also high.
The government needs to look into the problems the young job-seekers face and establish a career education and training institute that concentrates on fulfilling the demands of employment needs in the 21st century in the Maldives. To overcome the obstacles of unemployment, the government has to work along with private sector employers, to educate and train the local youth for encouraging them to join the workforce and contribute responsibly towards the growth of the nation as a whole.
REFERENCE LIST
Shifan. I (5th October, 2011) Lecture Slides: Immigration Lecture : Migration
Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (2009): Rapid Assessment of the Employment Situation in the Maldives.
Capitalism and Labour Migration: The Drastic Duo Retrieved 20th October, 2011 from http://www.haveeru.com.mv/feature/3450
Blue Collar worker Retrieved 20th October, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-collar_worker
White Collar worker Retrieved 20th October, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-collar_worker