|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 25 May 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Business | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Lanka's migrant labour About 86 million people are working outside their native countries and the number of economic migrants will increase rapidly because globalisation has failed to create more jobs in their home nations, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said in one of its latest reports. The ILO underlined that migration brought huge economic benefits and called for a concerted international effort to manage the trend rather than to stifle it. Better international cooperation would not only harness economic growth in the migrants' native and destination countries, but also counter major social problems or abuse of immigrant labour. Sri Lanka is one of the leading suppliers of migrant labour in the world, in spite of having a population of only 19 million. Nearly 1.4 million Lankans are employed abroad, not to mention those who have taken up permanent residence in the more affluent countries. Most migrant workers are in the Middle East, though Singapore, Hong Kong and Italy have also become popular over the years. The World Bank estimated that migrants sent 80 billion dollars in remittances back home in 2002, making it the second largest source of external funding for developing countries. In Sri Lanka too, expatriate workers are one of the main sources of foreign exchange. Forex-wise, this sector has overtaken some of the traditional exports, with annual earnings topping Rs. 1,300 million. The new Government has taken cognisance of developing this sector, creating a new ministry for foreign employment. As the ILO says, the lack of jobs with commensurate salaries has driven many skilled and unskilled persons to seek jobs abroad. A skilled worker who may earn Rs.10,000 a month here could comfortably earn more than thrice as much elsewhere. Sri Lanka's Bureau of Foreign Employment has been actively promoting legal means of migrating for foreign employment, but that has not stopped thousands from trying to migrate illegally to Western countries, mainly for economic reasons. About 10 to 15 percent of migrants worldwide are working illegally in their host country, exposing them to abuse and exploitation. In a way, this desire to seek greener pastures abroad legally or illegally reflects a dearth of employment opportunities at home. "If you look at the global economy in the perspective of people, its biggest structural failure is the inability to create enough jobs where people live," the ILO's Director General Juan Somavia says in the report. This is an issue that the new government must address without delay. The government has pledged to begin a drive to generate employment and several steps have already been taken in this direction. The assistance of the private sector must be harnessed in this effort. This does not mean that migration should be discouraged. On the contrary, government authorities must explore the possibility of getting more job quotas abroad so that more Sri Lankans can migrate legally. These openings need not necessarily be in developed countries - for example, Malaysia has granted thousands of jobs to other Asians. In this context, the government must be commended for recent initiatives to get a better deal for Lankans employed in the Middle East. Host countries too should look at the brighter side of immigration. Migrants bring with them expertise in various fields and generally help rejuvenate the economy of the host country. They also help rejuvenate ageing populations and stimulate inflation-free growth in their host countries. Governments, the ILO, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and other relevant organisations must coordinate their efforts to streamline economic migration around the world. Such an arrangement will be beneficial for both the suppliers and hosts of migrant labour. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
