Thesis Statement: Immigration and its socio-economic impact on any country. The paper will further support that immigration is good for any country and its economy.
Immigration is an act of leaving one’s own country and rushing towards another country in search of money, sources and other amenities. It has always been a matter of discussion in many countries for a number of reasons. The roots of immigration are related to the development, urbanization and globalization. The need of money to fulfill the immigrant’s requirements of life is the basic cause behind the act of immigration. Usually people of poor or less developed countries have a tendency to migrate in the rich and developed countries with the intention to earn their livelihood or to earn money for their family. This trend has though created a chaotic situation in the society of the countries where people have migrated or still migrating. A number of people from different sects of the society have started demanding a complete curvature on the immigration in the rich countries. This paper discusses the different aspects of the immigration and further probes that immigration is good or bad for the people of different societies.
Causes of immigration
i. Economic reasons: There are several reasons of immigration and earning money is definitely at the top of the list. Sustenance, due to economic problem is a big issue in many countries and this is why people rush towards the rich countries for their livelihood. People migrate to other countries with the intention of earning money. They get good wages for the same work in the developed countries in comparison to their native places. They do not only feed themselves by way of getting the employment therein but also take care of their family.
ii. Non economic reasons: Education is also one of the main non economic reasons of immigration in different countries. People want their children to get education in a modern and developed state of affairs. People want their children to be equipped with professional skills so that they could earn and look after them satisfactorily and escape from the amount of struggles, they came across. People also migrate to other countries being inspired by religious reasons. It has been observed that people rush towards places that are considered holy for religious purposes. Civil wars, ethnic cleansing, continuous violation of human rights are also major non economic reasons of immigration. People migrate in the developed and peace loving countries where these problems do not exist and life of an individual lives a respectful life.
Effects of migration
Like causes, there are different effects of the immigration which keeps this issue in discussion. Recently it has been noted that people in the rich countries have started raising loud voices against the immigration. They believe that these immigrants have trespassed in their territory and occupied the jobs, opportunities and resources which are meant for the native people. Since they belong to very poor places and have no choices, they can work at very minimum wages which affects the bargaining power of the people of the rich countries. Apart from this, the immigrants make their country overpopulated, what the native people believe. The people, who advocate against the immigration, suggest that the immigrants have no any liability or any kind of duty towards the nation where they get everything. They just come, earn and leave when their purpose is fulfilled or even stay to make the country an overpopulated. They have no duty but enjoy a number of rights.
Immigration is a widely discussed issue. It may have some negative effects or cause some problems for the people of the country where migration happens but there is another aspect of the issue. It is evident from a number of instances that the immigrants have widely contributed in the society of the nations where they have migrated. They have served the country ion a number of ways and their attachment is no less than the native people of the country. They have their significant role in the making of the country and also contributed in a number of fields which made the good identity of the nation. They have sacrificed their lives in the time of war and whenever required for the country, where they migrated. They and their children contributed in the development through a number of works, services and accepted the country as their own. Migration is a very old concept and usually it is not harmful for any country and if it causes some negative effects, it also has some very positive effects on the country where migration happens. People has always opted migrating to different places as per their conveniences but in recent times the trend of migration has been started getting attractions for a number of reasons. Politician also has played a huge role in highlighting this issue. They have created a fuss over in the brains of native people against the immigrants.
The migration is usually done under certain compulsions. The act is more painful for an immigrant rather than a person who claims that his interests are being affected by the immigration. To stop the immigration, the world and especially the developed societies of the world should come forward and make some effective policies to improve the economic condition of poor countries that have been subjected to continuous exploitation of imperialistic powers and rich countries. Today the imperialistic countries are well off because they have exploited the people and resources of these countries and it is their moral obligation to improve the situation of poor countries by introducing effective policies.
Immigration Impact on Economy
Lots of studies have been conducted to access the impact of immigration on any economy. Decreasing wage rate and employment for residence of the country was always a major point of concern. People consider immigrants as a burden who uses their services but immigration is solution all those problems who are occurred due to shortage of skilled or unskilled labors. If we look at the bigger picture, immigration contributes towards increasing knowledge and economic gain. If we take the example of America the immigrant’s rate was much higher than present immigrant rate and it is not having any unfavorable impact on the America’s economy. Now we will examine how different factors impact on any economy.
Immigration impact on wages
Different types of skills are required for different type of tasks, manufacturing and production. Immigration help in bringing desired skills to the country at a reasonable cost. Companies who are contributing towards economy of nation get benefited by hiring good, desired skills at cheaper rate. The costs of production directly impact the final cost of goods hence companies are able to sell goods at cheaper rates. When the cost of goods is decreasing, quantity will also increase because increased number of people can afford those goods. Companies take advantage of cheap labor and sell their products in other countries which help in brining revenue and foreign exchange to the economy. Immigration also helps companies in understanding market of other countries in better way. Local people can explain better the need and test of consumers of their own countries. Companies who are planning to expand its business in other country can take advantage of skilled immigrants of that country. Immigration does not impact wages rate in great way because all goods required different skills. It helps in bringing more business to the companies and more revenue to the economy.
Immigration Impact on Employment
Immigration does not drastically impact the employment of native people of any country. We may take example of America where the rate of unemployment went down to 4.7 percent from 5.4 percent and wages also went up. Immigration is much required for any economy because of three reasons.
1. Immigration helps in keeping desired number of workforce and prevent from labor crisis situation. In any country where labor is getting older, immigration provide new young labor.
2. Immigration also maintains the ration between the number of worker to be retired and existing workers.
3. Immigration helps in increasing knowledge and innovation in any economy.
In America the labor force have decreased near about four percent if they prevent immigrants. Many economists say that immigration help economy to grow swiftly without facing any major challenges from higher inflation. It benefits end consumers by providing goods at lower rate and companies to grow further.
Counter Argument
Like positive aspect, immigration also has its negative side. The countries having legal and illegal immigration face various challenges in terms of increasing population, expenditure, economy, socio-culture and security. Each and every year lot of people illegally migrate from one country to another and government bear the cost of their habitation. Immigrants are also responsible for occupying number of jobs from the native people of that country. Immigrants generally belong to poor country hence they work for lower wages with no additional benefits and incentives. Employer and companies also prefer to hire immigrants because it cost less to the employer. America spends around $ 200 billion each year as depressed wages.
Many people believe that they slow down the economy. Based on survey conducted by financial times a large population around 40 to 50 percent in America, Britain, Spain, Germany and France believe that immigration is responsible for lowering down lifestyle in their country. They are not only responsible for declining health care system but also hamper education system. Overall a large population around 50 percent strongly feels that immigration has lot of negative Impact on the economy and life quality of people.
Immigrants also cause danger to the country because it has been observed that they carry a number of communicable deceases with them. Countries do have certain checks to control spread of such communicable deceases but in absence of proper checking system, immigrants carry various deceases with them. Illegal immigration is one of the major ways to bring such deceases in a country where they could have eradicated. Such deceases can be very harmful and devastating for population.
A substantial number of people stay even after expiring of their visa and other people who are legal but not well educated are huge burden on the government. Such people and illegal immigrants do not contribute towards taxes but use all common welfare services. Terrorist and smugglers are major threat to the security of any nation and they also get visa. There are various policies and procedures are in place to check all the issues but they also have some loopholes.
Conclusion
After having observed the abovementioned analysis it is good to conclude by saying that When a person migrates in a different country for any reasons, he does not go there with his mouth and stomach only but also he is equipped with two hands and two legs to work. Nobody feeds him or her for being guest in their country but he works very hard and earns his livelihood himself. He contributes in the production, manufacturing and this way economy of the country like a native worker. The migration is not bad and the people who have politicized the issue should reconsider and abstain from polluting the brains of native people against the immigrants.
Works Cited
Fairchild, Henry Pratt. Immigration - A World Movement and Its American Significance. United States: Read Books Design, 2009.
Fetzer, J. S. Public Attitudes toward Immigration in the United States, France and Germany. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.
Hunt, R.M. Friedberg and. "The impact of immigration on host country wages,employment and growth." Journal of Economic Perspectives (1995): 23-44.
Nelson, N. Gaston and D. "Immigration and labour-market outcomes in the United States: A political-economy puzzle." Oxford Review of Economic (2000): 104-114.
Purcell, L. Edward. Immigration. Phoenix: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995.
