Migration offers numerous benefits and challenges for both migrants and host countries. Migrants often seek to escape adverse conditions such as poverty, oppression, or persecution and aim to find improved economic and social opportunities, including better futures for their children.
*Escape from poverty/oppression/persecution/death
*Better economic/social prospects
*Provide better opportunities to your children
In addition, this study indicated that migrants have.
*Facilitated growth in the economy.
*Brought benefits to the tourism industry through the development of new air routes.
*Had a positive influence on the productivity or efficiency of local workers.
*Contributed new ideas and a fresh approach to firms;
and greater cultural links with developing nations that will prove useful in growing international trade.
What are the Effects of Increased Migration Locally?
An Oxford Economics research study published by the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) concluded that migrant workers had helped maintain an adequate labour supply to fuel the 2004–2008 economic boom. The availability of migrant labour seems to have made the difference between some businesses surviving, or in the case of food processing, not needing to relocate production abroad.
Topic Impacts on countries of origin.
Negative
Economic disadvantage through the loss of young workers
Loss of highly trained people, especially health workers
Social problems for children left behind or growing up without a wider family circle
Positive
Developing countries benefit from remittances (payments sent home by migrants) that now often outstrip foreign aid.
Unemployment is reduced and young migrants enhance their life prospects.
Returning migrants bring savings, skills and international contacts.
Impacts on host countries.
Negative
Depression of wages may occur but this seems to be temporary.
Having workers willing to work for relatively low pay may allow employers to ignore productivity, training and innovation.
Migrants may be exploited.
Increases in population can put pressure on public services.
Positive
Job vacancies and skills gaps can be filled.
Economic growth can be sustained.
*Services to an ageing population can be maintained when there are insufficient young people locally.
The pension gap can be filled by the contributions of new young workers and they also pay taxes.
Immigrants bring energy and innovation.
Disadvantages:
*Leaving an environment/family/friends/stability you are familiar with.
*Starting from zero (not really a disadvantage but you do get to start afresh)
*Possibly becoming jaded in your adopted country.
Disadvantage: Legal Issues
Hiring an immigrant may have legal issues that the small-business owner might have to deal with. At the least, an immigrant files a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification instead of a Form W-9 when completing payroll paperwork.
Disadvantage: Language Concerns
Once upon a time, immigrants were found only in specific immigration hot spots around the country. The U.S.-Mexico border has a lot of Hispanic immigrants. New York was a hub for immigration from around the world. These hot spots still exist, but the immigrant labor force is integrated in additional parts of the country.
Advantage: Indentured Loyalty
Immigrant workers often must have a job to remain in the country lawfully. This means businesses get an employee with every reason to succeed and keep his job
Advantage: Wider Pool to Find Best Talent
To find the best possible talent for any position, employers must sometimes look outside the normal channels for talent. This has led to an increase in work visas issued under the H1-B nonimmigrant visa that seeks to bring in the most knowledgeable people from around the world to work for U.S. companies.
Advantage: Fill Labor/Wage Shortagel
Business owners may need temporary workers or people willing to do a particular job at a lower rate than others. This niche is where immigrant workers have been able to find work. They are willing to do the jobs for lower pay than other applicants are willing to accept. The job market is competitive for talented candidates, yet there is a need for many companies including small businesses to find talent that fits the budget