Gains from international migration: Promoting circular migration

1
Gains from international migration Promoting
circular migration

• Netherlands Migration Institute, International
  Conference on
• Return Migration and Development, 22-23 November
  2004, Rotterdam
• Presentation by
• Piyasiri WickramasekaraSenior Migration
  SpecialistInternational Migration Programme
  (MIGRANT)International Labour Office, Geneva
• Email wickramasekara_at_ilo.org

2
Structure of the presentation

• Key messages ILO perspectives
• Terminology
• The case for circulation
• Checklist of Dos and Donts
• Good practices in circular migration

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ILO Perspectives

• Mobility and migration are positive forces in the
  global economy which can yield benefits to both
  source and host economies. Migrants are a
  development resource for source country.
• Gains from skilled mobility should be equitably
  shared between labour-sending and receiving
  economies, and pro-active policies are
  necessary..
• Circulation of skills can be a major policy
  thrust to avoid adverse impact of skill outflows
  (brain drain).
• GATS Mode 4 has considerable potential for
  circular flows, but it needs much more support
  and commitment on the part of receiving
  countries.
• Respect for migrant rights is essential for
  ensuring and sharing benefits from migration.

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Terminology

• Brain drain, exchange, gain, circulation,
  exchange, brain waste
• Mobility and circulation are better concepts in a
  context of globalization. Mobility across borders
  or internationally.
• Temporary migration, return migration, and
  circular migration no conflict between return
  and circulation. Return is a subset of
  circulation
• Component of 6 Rs of policy responses to
  skilled migration
• Element of ILO multilateral framework of best
  practices.
• Circulation applies to all workers, but most
  discussion has been on the skilled group

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Retention

• Described as the best strategy in the long run
• High economic growth and creation of opportunties
  at home (necessary but not sufficient Canadian
  brain drain to USA)
• Overall conducive environment research, science
  and technology policy
• Higher educational/research opportunities at home
• Political stability, democracy, good governance
  and respect for human rights
• Ability to exploit ICT to tap global
  opportunities from home base

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Return migration

• Evaluation difficult because no systems exist
  for monitoring of return or circulation
• Overall benefits depend on the type of return and
  home conditions
• Has adverse impact on inflow of remittances
• Problems with assisted or special returns
• equity, cost effectiveness and sustainability

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Case for mobility and circulation

• Right to leave a home country and the right to
  return are fundamental human rights but no
  corresponding right of entry.
• Greater skills mobility confers mutual benefits
  to source and host countries.
• Access to skills remittances
• Results in greater labour market efficiency and
  welfare gains.
• Migration possibilities serve to promote
  investment in human capital in source countries.
• Helps counter effects of ageing and population
  decline and maintain social security systems in
  receiving countries.

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Case for mobility and circulation- 2

• Return is a static concept while mobility and
  circulation are better able to capture dynamics
  of current migration multilateral movements.
  Castles- From migrant workers to transnational
  citizens.
• Not all will return it captures both those who
  return and those who remain abroad. China India
  - brain banks abroad
• Circulation implies two way flows of benefits or
  situation conducive to 2-way flows continuing
  remittances (financial intellectual)

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Models of circulation

• Globalization has made circulation much easier
  with lower transport and comm. costs.
• Internal migration major example of circular
  migration China 100 million workers on the move
• Temporary migration on the rise in many regions
  Australia, 2001 88900 permanent 340,200
  temprorary visas -Europe
• Asia Middle-east model contract labour
  migration limited migrant rights
• Skill migration models US H1B, Cultural exchange
  J visa German Green card model UK work and
  training model
• Seasonal worker models Canada, Europe.
• Virtual circulation through exchange of idea,
  expertise replenishment of lost skills of one
  country by third countries Canada, Australia,
  New Zealand

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Circulation

• Important because few developing countries can
  create conditions conducive to return and
  retention in the short and medium term
• Types of circulation of skills
• Transnational entrepreneurs (AnnaLee Saxenians
  research)
• (parallel Silicon valleys Bangalore, Bombay,
  Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei )
• Scientists/ academics networks
• South African Network of Skills Abroad RBD-Thai
  Reverse Brain Drain project
• Service providers (GATS mode 4 movement of
  natural persons)
• Many linkages with the Transnational community
  options

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GATS Mode 4 the movement of natural persons

• General Agreement on Trade in Services mode 4
  movement of natural persons
• Temporary travel for a limited period by workers
  to perform a specific service abroad in
  connection with provision of services
• Benefits of GATS analysts predict large global
  welfare gains from liberalising labour mobility
  much more than from trade developing countries
  have surplus skills.
• Obstacles to GATS Mode 4 only 6 of all
  commitments.
• Limited commitments by developed countries
  immigration barriers bias towards multinationals
  and skilled workers
• Areas for improvement
• Standardising and expanding occupations
• Creation of special immigration category GATS
  visa
• Diologue between trade and migration experts
• Protection of workers who move ILO has to review
  the issues.

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Barriers to mobility and circulation

• Immigration laws do not reflect labour market
  needs mainly reflect concern on preventing
  entry from developing countries and curbing
  irregular migration
• Visa regimes which discourage circulation.
• Security concerns especially post 9/11
• Limited R D facilities in source countries
• Language and cultural barriers
• Limited recognition of qualification across
  borders
• Constraints on acquired rights of social security
  ands their portability many contributions not
  returned to migrants.
• Limited progress in economic integration
• Limited information on communities overseas,
  returnees, investment opportunities.

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Good practices in promoting brain gain
circulation Checklist of Dos
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Checklist of Donts
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Good practices some examples

• Many of these incorporated under NMI project
  under Activity 4 exchange and development
  linkages.
• Promotion of business travel under APEC. Business
  Mobility Group and Business Travel Card
• Dual citizenship why not multiple
  (transnational)?
• Multilaeral frameworks and rules
• World Commissionn on the Social Dimention of
  Globalization Global Commission on International
  Migration, GATS, ILO Plan of Action on migrant
  workers, The Berne Initiative.
• Bilateral and multilateral agreements seasonal
  worker programmes Italy Albania labour
  agreements.
• Mtutal recognition of qualification arrangements

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Elements of good practice- 2

• Policy recognition and institutionalizing
  migration-development linkages
• African Union
• Separate Ministries for overseas communities
  (Senegal and Mali).
• Trainee schemes
• UK Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES).
• Migrant trainee schemes Japan, Korea (in
  practice not successful)
• Flexible practices Sri Lanka five year leave (no
  pay) to public servants
• Circulation-friendly visa regimessince 1997,
  French immigration law provision for
  facilitating student returns, family visits.
• Information and Networking databases of TNCs.-
  many initatives of scientific diasporas SANSA,
  Kosen21 Korean science network
• Africa Flight of the flamingos- movement of
  R D workers. Manage mobility use analogy from
  the sports field. Prof. football

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Conclusion

• Good practices in return migration development
  can feed into the multilateral framwork of good
  practices of the ILO Plan of Acction on migration
  (adopted at International Labour Conference
  2004)
• ILO stands ready to work with you in this
  important area.
• Thank You