Labour Migration

Globalization has made it easier for people and services to go from state to state across the world. We as human beings are no longer constrained to our own boundaries and can now go beyond our territories to find a better place to live or for employment purposes. People, mostly from developing countries have migrated to other nations to either gain better work or more job opportunities. Although there is no universal definition, for the sake of this paper labour migration will be defined as a "cross border movement for employment in foreign countries" (Bhorat, 2010, p.2).The International migration of skilled individuals has increased importance in past couple of years. This paper will argue that labour migration is stoked due to issues regarding quality of life, employments opportunities; causes problems such as the brain drain while also having some sort of benefits. They will also be a case study examined in this essay called the "Skilled Labour in Migration: A case study of Southern and South Africa" by Haroon Bhorat.

In Southern Africa, there is a high rate of emigration, in particular to South Africa. Both white and black professionals in the country are motivated to emigrant for a better life and because of employment opportunities that are available in foreign countries (Brohat, 2010, p.3 ). In the case study "Skilled Labour in Migration" Bhorat defines a skilled African as one" who is at least twenty years of age , completed high school, possess a diploma or degree from a recognized institution while also being economically active " ( Brohat, 2010, p.3 ).

This means that almost all of the South Africans who make the decision of leaving the country for work would at least be in their twenties and must be economically active as a graduate of both high school and university. The case also states that there are both push and pull factors explained why so many highly skilled professionals are leaving South Africa.

About two thirds of South Africans have given some thought towards emigration (Bhorat, 2010 4). Another thirty eight percent have given a "great deal of thought" towards the idea of emigrating for employment (Bhorat, 2010, p.4). This means that the majority of South Africans have either had the idea of emigrating into concern or have strongly determined to immigrate to foreign countries. This is explained by reasons such as the dissatisfaction with the cost of living in South Africa and the level of taxation that is imposed by government (Bhorat, 2010, p. 3).

People are not happy with higher costs of living and how the government continuously raises taxes to an annual of 3.5% per years (Koik, 2006, p. 10). Another major concern pulling people out of the country is safety and security. In the past couple of years there has been a high rate of murders, rapes, assaults and other criminal acts in South Africa which puts professionals and skilled labourers at risk, prompting them to leave the country. Personal dissatisfaction with the quality of education, healthcare, and poor economic conditions are also to blame for the increase in labour emigration (Koik, 2006, p. 15).

In developing nations such as South Africa, people are not happy with the higher costs of living and how the government has continuously raised taxes to an annual of 3.5% per year (Bhorat, 2010, p. 7).

The Crime rate in South Africa has also harmed the sense of security and its citizens are feeling less safe. In the past couple of years there has been an increase in the rate of murders, rapes, assaults and other criminal acts in South Africa which puts professionals and skilled labourers at risk. Labourers in the country are not satisfied with poor education systems that do not fully prepare people for the work force and poor health care and economic conditions weakens the standard of living for workers.

The push factors that motivates South Africans to move into foreign countries for work is that there is no adjustment required due to the large sums of South African communities whom are already present in these nations (Bhorat, 2010, p. 14). The low level of crimes and high level of adherence towards to the rule of law is also a factor motivating workers to emigrate (Bhorat, 2010, p. 14). Migrating into foreign countries for work provides a safe and socially stable environment while giving skilled individuals a much more future.

Most South Africans migrate for work in countries such as Britain, Canada and the United States. These nations already have a small community of South Africans which makes no need for a significant adjustment when labour migrants arrive and settle in these places. These countries are likely to have fewer crimes and are socially stable since there is a high level of adherence to policy. Labour migrants know that this will help enhance their career lives by both providing them with a stable environment to live in while also feeling at home with their community.

Others may argue that just because there is an increasing number of skilled people emigrating from South Africa due issues such as quality of life and employment opportunities does not mean that the situation is same in other nations where labour migrants emigrate from. Although this can be a true claim to make, it is important to consider that not only developing nations are affected by labour migration. In Australia, about 20 percent of the residents live and work outside the country (Salt, 2004, p. 17). This