Thursday, September 03, 2009
[IWS] CRS: INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION POLICY CHALLENGES [11 August 2009]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Policy Challenges in International Migration
Chad C. Haddal, Analyst in Immigration Policy
August 11, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/R40753/2009-08-11/download/1013/
[full-text, 21 pages]
Summary
Immigration is a leading policy concern for many countries around the world, including the
United States. Members of Congress have for several years had immigration policy as one of their
main legislative issues. Yet, determining an optimal immigration policy has grown increasingly
complex as economic, cultural, and security pressures all compete for political consideration. In
an effort to tackle some of this complexity, this report serves as a broad overview of the standard
theory of international migration and offers a brief synopsis of the major immigration-related
policy challenges potentially involved in the legislative debates in Congress. The overview
examines several possible issues for Congress as it considers new legislation on immigration
reform, including (1) how new immigration legislation might affect migratory behavior and (2)
the possible effects of increased or decreased migration on related policy issues.
In addressing these issues, this report lays out a basic theoretical foundation for migration, as well
as the mitigating role of laws and regulations on migratory behavior. With the exception of certain
trafficking circumstances, all migration is based on a decision-making process by the individual
migrant (or in some cases by the migrant's household). The decision-making elements are
commonly referred to as "push/pull" factors. Essentially, while some factors appeal to potential
migrants to "pull" them toward another country, other circumstances tend to "push" them away
from their place of residence. If the perceived benefits of these push/pull factors outweigh the
perceived cost, an individual is expected to migrate.
Despite there being several possible motivations to migrate, the range of choices available for an
individual to migrate are limited. Limitations occur in part because of the constraints placed on
human behavior by institutions—or "rules of the game"—such as laws, regulations, or even
cultural expectations. Policy makers can actively modify a number of institutions to both deter
some forms of migration and facilitate others, thereby mitigating the impact of push/pull factors
to the policy maker's advantage. Consequently, institutional manipulation plays a key role in
addressing numerous immigration-related policy challenges, because it can be used to facilitate
the migration of some potential migrants and deter the migration of others.
The increasingly global migration of individuals has created both challenges and opportunities for
advanced industrial countries. Despite the idiosyncrasies and unique policies of certain countries,
a string of commonalities underlies the pressures all open economies face. Several of the themes
partially mirror debates and efforts occurring in the United States. Perhaps most prominent of
these is integration, that is, efforts to peaceably adjust society to accommodate any new
demographic dynamics. A second recurring theme is the alleged burden placed by some
immigrants on the state, including acts of violence, threats to security, crime, and supposed net
non-contributors to the welfare state. A final theme concerns how international migration may
provide numerous benefits, including alleviating labor shortages, addressing an aging society, and
otherwise providing cultural diversity.
This report will not be updated.
Contents
The Immigrant Dilemma .............................................................................................................1
Broad Themes of Admission .................................................................................................2
Push/Pull Factors in International Migration................................................................................3
Institutions and Behavior.......................................................................................................4
Future Challenges for Governments in a Global Economy...........................................................6
International Migration and Common Market Arrangements .................................................7
The European Union .......................................................................................................8
Other Common Market Arrangements ...........................................................................10
Security and International Migration Policy.........................................................................10
Unauthorized Migration and Legalization............................................................................ 11
Balancing Economic Interests and Security Concerns..........................................................13
Aging Societies and Migration ............................................................................................14
Conclusion...............................................................................................................................17
Figures
Figure 1. Expected Change in the Working-Age Population Assuming Zero Net Migration Over the Periods Indicated, 2005-2020............16
Tables
Table 1. Permanent Immigration Flow, by Category of Entry in Select OECD Countries, 2006 ............................2
Table 2. Immigration from the A8 Countries to the United Kingdom, by Nationality of Approved Applicants.........9
Table 3. Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in Selected OECD Countries .................................12
Contacts
Author Contact Information ......................................................................................................18
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Policy Challenges in International Migration
Chad C. Haddal, Analyst in Immigration Policy
August 11, 2009
http://opencrs.com/document/R40753/2009-08-11/download/1013/
[full-text, 21 pages]
Summary
Immigration is a leading policy concern for many countries around the world, including the
United States. Members of Congress have for several years had immigration policy as one of their
main legislative issues. Yet, determining an optimal immigration policy has grown increasingly
complex as economic, cultural, and security pressures all compete for political consideration. In
an effort to tackle some of this complexity, this report serves as a broad overview of the standard
theory of international migration and offers a brief synopsis of the major immigration-related
policy challenges potentially involved in the legislative debates in Congress. The overview
examines several possible issues for Congress as it considers new legislation on immigration
reform, including (1) how new immigration legislation might affect migratory behavior and (2)
the possible effects of increased or decreased migration on related policy issues.
In addressing these issues, this report lays out a basic theoretical foundation for migration, as well
as the mitigating role of laws and regulations on migratory behavior. With the exception of certain
trafficking circumstances, all migration is based on a decision-making process by the individual
migrant (or in some cases by the migrant's household). The decision-making elements are
commonly referred to as "push/pull" factors. Essentially, while some factors appeal to potential
migrants to "pull" them toward another country, other circumstances tend to "push" them away
from their place of residence. If the perceived benefits of these push/pull factors outweigh the
perceived cost, an individual is expected to migrate.
Despite there being several possible motivations to migrate, the range of choices available for an
individual to migrate are limited. Limitations occur in part because of the constraints placed on
human behavior by institutions—or "rules of the game"—such as laws, regulations, or even
cultural expectations. Policy makers can actively modify a number of institutions to both deter
some forms of migration and facilitate others, thereby mitigating the impact of push/pull factors
to the policy maker's advantage. Consequently, institutional manipulation plays a key role in
addressing numerous immigration-related policy challenges, because it can be used to facilitate
the migration of some potential migrants and deter the migration of others.
The increasingly global migration of individuals has created both challenges and opportunities for
advanced industrial countries. Despite the idiosyncrasies and unique policies of certain countries,
a string of commonalities underlies the pressures all open economies face. Several of the themes
partially mirror debates and efforts occurring in the United States. Perhaps most prominent of
these is integration, that is, efforts to peaceably adjust society to accommodate any new
demographic dynamics. A second recurring theme is the alleged burden placed by some
immigrants on the state, including acts of violence, threats to security, crime, and supposed net
non-contributors to the welfare state. A final theme concerns how international migration may
provide numerous benefits, including alleviating labor shortages, addressing an aging society, and
otherwise providing cultural diversity.
This report will not be updated.
Contents
The Immigrant Dilemma .............................................................................................................1
Broad Themes of Admission .................................................................................................2
Push/Pull Factors in International Migration................................................................................3
Institutions and Behavior.......................................................................................................4
Future Challenges for Governments in a Global Economy...........................................................6
International Migration and Common Market Arrangements .................................................7
The European Union .......................................................................................................8
Other Common Market Arrangements ...........................................................................10
Security and International Migration Policy.........................................................................10
Unauthorized Migration and Legalization............................................................................ 11
Balancing Economic Interests and Security Concerns..........................................................13
Aging Societies and Migration ............................................................................................14
Conclusion...............................................................................................................................17
Figures
Figure 1. Expected Change in the Working-Age Population Assuming Zero Net Migration Over the Periods Indicated, 2005-2020............16
Tables
Table 1. Permanent Immigration Flow, by Category of Entry in Select OECD Countries, 2006 ............................2
Table 2. Immigration from the A8 Countries to the United Kingdom, by Nationality of Approved Applicants.........9
Table 3. Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in Selected OECD Countries .................................12
Contacts
Author Contact Information ......................................................................................................18
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 12:48 PM
