Top 10 Migration Issues of 2008
Top 10 Migration Issues of 2008
The seismic changes in the global economy that took place in 2008 will affect international migration patterns, in obvious and less obvious ways. One thing is clear: policymakers will need to adapt to the rapidly shifting needs of their labor markets as jobs become scarcer. The global economic downturn's effects on remittance flows, the hunt for skilled workers, return migration, and shifting immigration policies are among the topics examined in the Top 10 Migration Issues of 2008.
The current economic downturn has made many destination countries cautious about welcoming permanent migrants, with some expressing the policy equivalent of buyer's remorse: paying too high a price for something no longer desired.
Gloomy economic forecasts do not seem to have slowed the hunt for highly skilled migrants or foreign students — the best near-term solution to fill shortages and enhance competitiveness.
Remittances to developing countries have steadily climbed, but the economic crises this year raise the question of how those countries will fare with the United States and Europe in recession.
The subject of immigration was almost nonexistent in the general-election contest between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain though both candidates sought the Latino vote.
Unfortunately, 2008 brought a new wave of xenophobia, most notably in South Africa and Italy.
Due to changing economic circumstances, the prospect of return migration has gained currency in immigrant-receiving states around the world.
Policymakers in developed countries are beginning to take the increasingly stark demographic landscape more seriously. One solution on the table: immigration.
Although far from foolproof in deterring would-be migrants, border fencing remained a priority for many countries in 2008.
Circular migration means a continuing, long-term pattern of international mobility. The European Union set up two pilot programs in 2008 that seek to facilitate this type of movement.
An estimated 4.7 million Iraqis remain displaced either internally or in neighboring countries, and Iraq is still the leading source of asylum applicants worldwide.
