Cross-Border movements of people

This article initially takes a historical look at international labour migration over the past fifty years and draws a distinction between different categories of labour flows in the contemporary world economy.

The article stresses the importance of focusing on structural explanations of migration at a macrolevel, to understand the determinants and patterns of migration. The article suggests that the process of industrialisation and development is associated with the structural transformation of economies, leading to a change in the composition of output and employment over time. What are the reasons for international migration flow:

• disparities in income levels and employment opportunities between countries
• population imbalances between labour-scarce and labour-abundant countries
• improved education and growing aspirations/expectations

The article discusses the multiple effects of globalisation on trade, investment and finance. However the article points out that in sharp-contrast to previous epochs, the cross-border movement of people is closely regulated and restricted. Thus, globalisation has impacted trade, investment, finance much more radically than labour flows. Indeed, migration is said to be more intraregional rather than interregional and there is no globalisation of labour. This is related to the ideology, or interests of the institutions interested in directing the process of globalisation.

The article expresses concern in reference to the growing inequality between developed and developing countries, thus increasing the push-factors or supply side emigration-pressure. On the demand side, the importance of ideology, interests and institutions in the developed world cannot be undermined. Globalisation has not stimulated the demand for labour imports, as is manifested in other domains of globalisation. The high unemployment and low increase in wages, should have deterred labour imports. However menial and unpleasant jobs not attractive to nationals and the presence of unemployment benefit, meaning that they are not compelled to do such work, means that demand for foreign workers exists. The demographic changes in developing countries, means that foreign labour may be increasingly demanded to service the growing elderly population of developed countries.

The article suggests that there are migrant friendly aspects of globalisation:

• transport and communications
• market institutions, making it easy to move across borders
• electronic media
• spread of transnational corporations
• mobility of professionals
• globalisation of education

In conclusion, the article argues that the time has come to reflect upon the necessity of formulating international rules or creating international institutions for the governance of cross-border movements of people. [author]