Although many decision-makers are trying to deny its lasting effects and the way it actually changed the status quo forever, globalisation is the spirit out of the lamp when it comes to workforce management. In the Western (or let’s say, Northern) hemisphere the situation unfolding is even more special because one of the most urging problems – migration – can be the very solution to many structural problems in these countries. Economies like Germany, the United States and many other Western European countries are actually dependent on migrant workers, even if they are illegally in the country.
Germany: Constant Reforms are Trying to Keep Up Numbers in Legal Immigration
The German think tank Bertelsmann Stiftung recently published a study predicting that immigration will continue to be a key component of the German labor market for decades to come. Demographic shifts are causing a sharp decline in the potential of the domestic labor force. International worker immigration, particularly from third countries, is becoming increasingly important as a means of making up for this and securing Germany’s prosperity.
Susanne Schultz, a migration specialist at the Bertelsmann Foundation, stated that immigration is also necessary due to the demographic shift that will present significant difficulties for the German labor market in the upcoming years due to the baby boomers retiring.
There are new opportunities for this under the revised Skilled Immigration Act. A year ago, the initial phase of the new skilled worker immigration law went into effect. On November 18, 2023, plans were made to make Germany a more desirable place for foreign workers by providing much more flexibility for highly skilled professionals and relief for international scholars through the “EU Blue Card.” Second, workers were given the opportunity to immigrate for the first time based on their work experience.
These rules are well accepted. An estimated 200,000 visas were granted in the first year for profit-making purposes, according to preliminary data. This represents an increase of more than 10 percent over the previous year (177.578). The enthusiasm displayed by those who wish to study in Germany, pursue vocational training, or have their foreign credentials accepted is especially encouraging. In this area, visa rates have risen by more than 20% for third-country students, by two-thirds for trainees, and by nearly 50% for measures to recognize foreign professional qualifications. The internal ministry of Germany claims that these skilled workers of the future will guarantee long-term employment opportunities.
The United States: Another Big Economy Dependent on Immigrant Workers
For many years, immigration has been a hot topic in American politics. In the 2024 election cycle, it was once again a major point of contention, ranking among the top concerns of voters. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, both of whom are running for president, have disagreed on how to handle immigration policy, despite agreeing that reforming the asylum system and strengthening border security are important.
Donald Trump, the president-elect, made illegal immigration the centerpiece of his campaign, vowing to implement the “largest domestic deportation operation” of undocumented immigrants in American history as part of a vigorous crackdown. However, according to some experts, such an operation would have significant financial consequences. According to estimates from the Peterson Institute for International Economics, deporting between 1.3 and 8.3 million undocumented immigrants would result in a significant decline in U.S. employment, a rise in inflation, and a decline in demand, all of which would lower the country’s real gross domestic product (GDP) by as much as 7% by 2028.
Trump also promised to reduce legal immigration even more. This includes halting the refugee resettlement program, restricting humanitarian visas and parole, ending automatic citizenship for immigrant children born in the US, and reversing country designations of temporary protected status, which permits migrants from dangerous nations to temporarily live and work lawfully in the US. Additionally, Trump has stated that he would once more advocate for a merit-based immigration system, as opposed to the current one that places a higher priority on family reunification, and that he is in favor of granting green cards to college graduates who are immigrants. Some experts believe that this move could be appealing to business executives who are searching for highly skilled workers.
However, the most basic, low-wage, labor-intensive industries have the greatest need for foreign workers. Farm industry associations in the United States are urging President-elect Donald Trump to spare their industry from his threat of mass deportations, which could disrupt a food supply chain that is largely reliant on illegal immigrants in the country.
According to interviews with farm and worker groups and Trump’s new “border czar” Tom Homan, Trump officials have not yet promised any exemptions.
The US Department of Labor and Agriculture reports that nearly half of the country’s 2 million or so farm workers, as well as many dairy and meatpacking workers, do not have legal status, according to Reuters news agency.
Agriculture: A Key Problematic Sector in Europe, Too
A growing percentage of agricultural labor is performed by migrants in Western Europe and the rest of the Global North. There are universal problems like workers receiving lower salaries than promised and overcrowded, poor housing that lacks basic amenities like sanitary facilities, even though the problems caused by this differ from one country to another.
In general, migrants labor in rural areas, performing the most difficult, hazardous, or low-paying jobs that the local populace declines to perform.South Africans and Albanians in Greece; Romanians and other Eastern Europeans in Germany; Ukrainians in Poland; North Africans, Romanians, and sub-Saharan Africans in Italy; the same group plus Latin Americans in Spain; and so on are the main sources of farm laborers today.
The German media’s coverage of the labor and sexual exploitation of Moroccan seasonal workers has brought attention to Spain’s agricultural enclave in the southwest province of Huelva. Since then, the public has become more aware of this issue as well as others pertaining to Huelva’s agricultural sector, like the existence of shanty towns.Despite the fact that media awareness is a good thing, the issue is not unique to any one area. All throughout Spain, from Almería to Murcia, Valencia, and Lleida, there have been reports of human rights abuses.
Similar circumstances arise throughout Europe, from Thai individuals incurring debt in order to obtain employment picking fruit in Sweden to the Mafia-led exploitation of undocumented migrants in Italy (known as caporalato). Similar circumstances exist in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and Greece as well.
