Making temporary international migration work for all

European countries are increasing their schemes for labour migration due to falling population levels which are having a detrimental effect on economic growth. Europe also needs temporary unskilled workers, and North African countries such as Egypt and Morocco, can meet these needs. What kind of agreements can be reached between European and North African nations?

Finding a solution is not easy, however. Attitudes towards migration within Europe are hostile and politicians lack the will to face the social and cultural implications of new schemes. Europe’s policymakers are therefore determined to enforce a temporary nature (up to three years) to this new migration. The Centre for Migration Research at the University of Sussex has examined the implications of temporary labour migration for North African countries.

Europe is exploring schemes for authorised temporary migration of unskilled labour into agriculture, food processing, hospitality and domestic work. Regulation of workers without work permits for example, already living in Europe could be one way of meeting the demand for unskilled labour. But this could be difficult as host countries find it hard to manage their labour markets and immigration systems. Temporary labour agreements have the potential to guarantee a regular supply of labour and ensure that at least some migrants return home.

The researchers point out that North African governments may have difficulties:

• Although the governments have extensive administrative apparatus for maintaining contact with their emigrant communities, much information on migrants is unavailable.
• Temporary labour agreements are typically informal and the agreed text is not publicly available: flexibility remains the most important consideration and operational details remain obscured.
• The model International Labour Organisation agreement on which temporary labour agreements are based does not provide many details of the precise arrangements.
• Seasonal work agreements will allow only a limited number of migrants: Morocco’s current agreement with Spain allows for the movement of only 700 workers per year.

Flexibility in labour agreements appears to offer only disadvantages for the migrant sending countries. If short term priorities for labour supply are allowed to continue to dominate policymaking the longer term stability of countries of origin will be overlooked. The researcher suggests that migration could be made more ‘development friendly’ by:

• specifying a definite length of stay and providing security: if families do not have the opportunity to plan livelihood strategies on the basis of a secure income the contribution of migrants will be devalued
• paying greater attention to the objectives of the countries of origin
• clearly outlining the boundaries within which private sector employers could operate
• having a better idea of the number, destination and employment of migrants: the need in Europe is predictable and it would be useful if these requirements can be met.

Source(s):
‘The development impact of temporary international labour migration on southern Mediterranean sending countries: contrasting examples of Morocco and Egypt’, Sussex Centre for Migration Research, Working Paper T6, by Michael Collyer, August 2004 (PDF) Full document.

Funded by: Department for International Development, UK

id21 Research Highlight: 16 February 2005

Further Information:
Michael Collyer
Sussex Centre for Migration Research
School of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies
University of Sussex
Falmer
Brighton BN1 9SJ
UK

Tel: +44 (0)1273 873394
Fax: +44 (0)1273 873158
Contact the contributor: M.Collyer@sussex.ac.uk

Sussex Centre for Migration Research, University of Sussex, UK

Other related links:
'Remittances and development: providing funds for the poor'

'International migration in policy and practice in South Asia'

International Organisation for Migration

The Migration Unit, University of London

Migration Research Foundation