International Migration

Introduction

Migration is a defining and natural phenomenon in the globalized world (Abel, Samir and Sander, 2013). However, the challenge in governing migration bestows in its volume, heterogeneity and inevitability. Migration is that term which encompasses a wide range of situations and movements and includes people from every background.  Like any time before, migration touches nearly all countries and people in the era of deepening globalization. The concept is entwined with cultural exchange, trade and geopolitics for cities, businesses and communities can enormously benefit from it. Migration have helped improve people’s live in terms of destination and origin countries and has also provided opportunities to millions of people across the globe to pursue a meaningful life in a foreign country. However, not every migration appears to bring positive circumstances and in the recent few years, there is an increase in displacement and occurrence of migration mainly because persecution, conflict, change and environmental degradationalong with a profound lack of human opportunity and security. Though, most international migrations takes place legally, one greatest insecurity for a migrant and which is of huge concern, is associated with irregular migration (Abel, Samir and Sander, 2013).

Migration has become a prominent public policy issue which is being pronounced increasingly than ever before.The topic is considered as a high priority policy issue by politicians, governments as well as by the general public across the world. The importance of migration towards human development, economic prosperitysecurity and safety assures that this will remain the topmost priority in foreseeable future. Along with being more pronounced at the national level, migration is also very evident at the international level. Incremental advancements within international cooperation over migration is gone s step further where states agree upon a global compact for orderly, safe and regular migration in 2018 (World Migration Report, 2018).

Mainstreaming of migration is recognized to be as an important factor since 2005. This was initiated when Global Commission on International Migration presented recommendations which suggested that migration should be included in developmental plans for improving migration governance.

In the present time, migration is presented in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants. Moreover, Objective 19 of the forthcoming Global Compact on Migrationrequires states to include migration within sectoral policies and development planning at both national and international levels (Goordonet al., 209).

The 2017 European Consensus on Development presents confirmation that migration within all its aspects involves both short and long term cross-sectoral intervention legal frameworks and policies. SDGs provide an opportunity to embrace a comprehensive approach towards a linkage between migration, development cooperation as well as relevant policy aspects which imposes an impact over development.

Factors Influencing International Migration

Many predictable circumstances such as environment, economic or ethno-political factors configure migration. For example, the collapse of the Eastern Bloc which resulted in the migration of people from the East to the West came out to be a big surprise for the West European states and governments. Factors that influence international migration include:

Sending and Receiving States

Reasons for migrating from one country to another arediverse. Though conventional factors like historical ties, cultural affinity and geographical contiguityneeds to be accompanied with new ideas. Effective communication along with the ever-increasing expansion of social networking service is still important however, they are now accompanied with newer options. The progress in communication along with the expansion in social networking combined with the reduction in the cost of transportation and multi-country operations related to migrant traffickers emerged as very important push and pull factors. This is the reason of the increasing number of sending countries. The result of this is that more migrants as compared to the past are somewhat unfamiliar with the culture as well as the living standards in the receiving country (Gosh, 2000).

Demand-Pull Factors

Most cases of migration starts with the recruitment by an employer by industrial countries where there is a shortage of labour or manpower. Receiving countries seeks workers to add  in their workforce  on a temporary basis and from this overseas workforce, they expects to deliver 100 per cent returns (Martin and Straubhaar, 2002). One point that these states needs to understand is that inflow of migrant workers cannot be bought to a halt even after the requirement of the workforce is fulfilled. Moreover, many migrants also do not go back to their own countries and decide to stay in the receive country and get their families to come and live with them as well (Martin and Taylor, 2001). In the present times, receiving states focus more upon high skilled workforce than that of low skilled migrants. An average of migrants is less qualified in comparison to the national profile (Taran, 2004). With the advancement in technology, there are chances that employment opportunities will become redundant in developing countries, such as agricultural country, which can worsen the situation for migrants (Martin and Taylor, 2001).

Supply-Push Factors

The pressure of the influx of foreigners is huge and states where there is high birth rate are unable to create adequate amount of jobs that will fulfill the needs of the population. In this manner, some states may go for encouraging the migration of residents (Martin and Straubhaar, 2002).

Push factors include unemployment numbers and high levels of poverty, increasing inter-country disparity between job opportunities and income civil wars, human rights infringement and environmental degradation which leads to the development of a feeling of deprivation. Additionally, political conditions such as stability and freedom in the receiving country  also plays a very important role. A huge number of internal migrants tend to contribute within this process. All these factors are combined to result in a high migration potential. Even the poorest move along with the loss of ten to thirty per cent qualified workforce appears to be a serious issue for developing countries (International Labour Organization (ILO) 2015).

Alongside this the return of migrants in their home country where there are inadequate facilities can result in fiscal dislocation which imposes a heavy strain over their administrative structure. The result of this is that the outflow and influx of migrants also have an impact over interstate relationship (Gosh, 2000).

Networks

Both, demand-pull and supply-push factors can be referred to as battery poles if they do not have a link between them as they are not capable of producing migration (Martin and Taylor, 2001). A major link between the two factors is called networks; friends or family members who have migrated extend people with information related to the receiving country (Martin and Taylor, 2001). There are many families who go abroad to generate a new source of income. These remittances are utilized for any work like building buying houses and other luxury items. According to Martin and Straubhaar (2002) remittances can be referred to as “raison d’être”in temporary migration of labour which has also influenced over the macro level. These sources serve as a source of hard currency for the sending countries along with being a source of taxes for the receiving countries. However, in contrast to the expectations in the 1960s remittances which failed in transforming the 1960s remittance have failed in turning. Spending will require development of new jobs that will help non-migrants.

Arms Race

When sending countries are under increase emigration pressure along with strong pull factor within destination countries, regulatory restriction cannot arrest the nation alone which leads them to irregular channels (Gosh, 2000).

States intend to control migration level through the enforcement of border controls along with presenting punitive measures as againsttrafficking. Still, the flow of migration is unstoppable. New composition and direction of flows have complicated the process of migration management by the receiving countries. According to Gosh (2000), about 95 per cent of the total world population is residing in developed countries. The end of colonialism led to many formal colonies to become partners within the international community which means that migrant’s rights are widely and internationally recognized.

Even transition and developing countries are tightening their bordersand policies although, in a much lesser extent to that of receiving countries. Mainly because of lack of resources these countries are most vulnerable by the temporary inflow of migrants (Taran, 2004). Even tight border controls cannot stop migration flow or even reduce the number of people crossing the border. All these measure impose serious pressures over the migrants.

Factors In The Political System

The problem of managing migration can arise mainly through interactions between the factors stated above and political scenarios of both the sending and receiving state. Government tends to react differently in different challenges within the country. All their agendas are most often an impression of public opinion or interest groups.As a matter of fact, migration policy is many times influenced through strong organized interests like that of the construction industry where there is a huge demand for cheap labour. This can result in a contradictory policy which is somewhat unwilling to legalize various undocumented migrants and at the same time it allows them to enter in a covert manner (Castles, 2004).

Despite of many efforts in controlling migration flows, every effort failed. Another aspect to consider here is that liberal states should understand migrant rights. These states cannot send them back to their own countries on the basis of human rights violations. Even more, if an immigrant has managed to acquire the right of employment, it is very difficult to make them go back (Castles, 2004).

Searching For A New Policy

Governments of receiving country acknowledge the fact that there are many problems associated with irregular migrations. Though, efforts are directed towards keeping migrants away however, those who have already migrated may become alone and also without any help (Koser, 2010).

EnforcingHuman Rights

According to Taran (2004), the quotes in Universal Declaration of Human Rightsestablishes in its sixth article that every person holds the right to be recognized in the eye of law as well as the person also holds the right to due process. Hence the term illegal migrant tends to contradict this spirit.Up till now, many conventions has been signed for the protection of migrant and their families however; there lies potential gap between these conventions and realities. It has been stated by Bustamante, (2002), that current internationalcooperation norms need to present a solid policy framework. the major problem is the lack of political parties to enforce them.to make them active players of the society along with social partners and civil society  is required. According to Bustamante (2002), there lies a gap within international standards and the UN member states do agree upon this factor. Generally, people tend to be more vulnerable in home countries. Mostly there are very few rights in receiving country than that of residents. This serves as a strong differentiating factor between the immigrants ad nationals. Additionally, the receiving country should also not ignore the human rights of immigrants. Moreover, they need to be empowered for protecting themselves against the human rights violation. Since implementing ratificationwithin the UN conventions can take years or a decade until the treaty presented become the law.

Policy Approach

According to Taran (2004), human trafficking is the result that borders have become barriers between those who have a job offer and those who are looking for a job. The need of developing proper migration channels within which the demand for labour meets labour supply has become imperative. Migrants employment needs to be legal and the conditions of the workplace should be tolerable.

The new regime should be based over several common objectives that can be shared by every party. New international conventions should be an extension to the present one. Additionally, it should be flexible enough for anticipating and handling movements in a confident, timely and fair manner. Human rights are protected and cover every type of movement whether it is permanent or temporary and omitting the consideration of individual motivation. As a result, it should be drafted over the close cooperation of different parties involved like sending, receiving and transit countries.The new government requires international cooperation in every aspect which can influence people movement like the development aid or labour market. This eventually means that the issue of migration should be considered closely along with making decisions in the related area. Monitor mechanism should be able to control the realization of many ideas (Gosh, 2000).

Many experts have also criticized that measures fail in addressing the root cause which can lead to disorderly migration. Philip L. Martin and J. Edward Taylor (2001) suggest that developing countries should change their own economic policies so as to reduce the pressure of immigration. This will eventually involve a whole lot of patience as any new policies drafted needs time to operate effectively. This is especially true for developing countries which are suffering from credibility gap. Both local and foreigninvestors need to be convinced so that the new trade and investments policies will continue to be followed (Martin and Taylor, 2001).

Three kinds of controlling instruments for the government of foreign countries can be used to reduce the pressure of immigration.

Investments

Economy ted to grow faster when there is a scope to investIn infrastructure, machinery and the education sector. There are also many other forms of investment and is committed for local private savings for building factories and enterprises.

Trade

Cheap labour are on abundance in developing countries because of which they can import goods that are labour-intensive. The wages of workers rise with time and the prices of goods also increases. This will reduce the pressure of immigration eventually.

Foreign Aid

Development Aid is that money which is granted by another country to extend support in the development of another one. At its best, this will compliment economic investments for fostering growth so that the potential people who intend to migrate remain I their home countries.