Labor Mobility #67
Russia Has Developed a New Program for Attracting Economic Migrants.
Anna Kaledina | Izvestiya | April 11, 2021
In mid-March, Russia launched a new scheme for attracting foreign workers. Tailored to the needs of the Russian market, it obliges employers to fulfill a set of requirements. For example, their manpower should be no fewer than 250+ employees while their yearly income must surpass 2 million rubles. Russian authorities report that, to date, it approved 119 applications out of the 7559 submitted, adding that the pandemic has evened out the difference between the workers’ desired pay and the actual salaries.
Nepali Workers Suffer from the Red Tape in Poland.
Ula Idzikowska, Abhaya Raj Joshi, Chandan Kumar Mandal | The Kathmandu Post | April 10, 2021
Although Ukrainian workers continue to dominate the Polish labor market, the number of Nepali workers in the country is growing as well. Still, securing employment in Poland remains a challenge for the Nepalese who end up entangled in the Polish red-tape system. On top of this, they pay stupendous sums to Nepal-based intermediaries who often conceal the true employment conditions, awaiting workers on the spot.
Georgians Are Increasingly Eyeing the German Market.
Giorgi Lomsadze | Eurasianet | March 22, 2021
More than 50 thousand Georgians have expressed interest in Germany’s program aimed at attracting seasonal workforce. They include not only gig economy workers but also representatives of bureaucratic institutions. The key motivations of prospective economic migrants include better pay and COVID-19 ramifications, such as rising unemployment in the country. Both Georgia and Germany deem the program beneficial, citing the transfer of skills among the main advantages.
Tajiks Find Ways to Secure Jobs in South Korea.
Irna Hofman | Open Democracy | April 7, 2021
Deprived of economic opportunities at home, Tajik citizens often move to Russia, which provides them with simplified access to Russian citizenship. Russian passports, in turn, provide them with access to the local labor market and social security. It also enhances mobility, with Tajik economic migrants using it as a way to find jobs in countries like South Korea. The wealthy Asian state, in turn, allows them to make enough money to help out their families at home.
International Migration Has Become Weaponized.
Max Hastings | Bloomberg | April 11, 2021
Compared to the year 2000, the number of people living outside their country of birth has skyrocketed: from 150 to 272 million. This prompted the rise of right-wing governments in many developed countries, which are weaponizing global mobility. However, the current influx of people to developed states is only the beginning. The devastating results of climate change will force many more to leave their countries, which is why the rich world must devise and implement far more imaginative and generous programs to control the process.
