Philippine Policies on Contract Work

(PhilCon)
De La Salle-College of St. Benilde
6:00-9:00 PM., Mon./Wed.
Lilia Casanova

Introduction:
Migration is a Global Phenomenon
UN Findings: The number of international
migrants around the world has expanded very
rapidly over the past decade.

196 million people around the world are

now living outside the country in which
they were born. (UN High Commission on
Refugees, 2010)
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Migration

is a Global Phenomenon

196 million intl migrants - represent about

3 % of the worlds population (2010)
This means that as of 2010, one person
out of 30 is an international migrant.

Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Migration has become a global
phenomenon.
The increase in migration has led to
"human trafficking and exploitation."

Migration is a Global
Phenomenon
Key questions :
What are the reasons why people are
compelled to migrate?
What are the impacts of migration?
What are the issues behind migration
and how can these be addressed?

Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Key questions:
What are some basic concepts about
migration?
What is the relationship:
- Between migration and trade?
- Between migration and poverty?
- Between migration and gender?
- Between migration and human rights?
- Between migration and family life?
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Main reasons for movement (IOM):
According to the IOM, there are 2 main
reasons why people move out of their
home countries:

Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Main reasons for migration
(1) Economic reasons: Differentials in
living standards among countries; and
(2) Social reasons: Problems of human
security in different parts of the world

Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Per IOM: People tend to move only when
their situation and that of their families fall
below a critical threshold of tolerance,
below which they no longer perceive
possibilities of survival according to local
norms of safety, dignity and well-being."

Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Therefore: When people's basic human
needs are not being met where they live,
they see no other option than to look for
another place to live.

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Migration as a Global Phenomenon

Common specific reasons that compel migration (IOM): Push

Factors
1. Increased armed violence } Humanitarian
2. Ethnic and racial conflict } Humanitarian
3. Development-induced } Humanitarian
displacement
4. Economic insecurity } Economic
5. Features of globalization }Economic
6. Environmental degradation } Conscience
7. Large-scale corruption } Conscience
8. Denial of democracy } Political

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International Migration Trends

Other reasons for migration: Pull
Factors
9. Family decision} A new environment
10. To study or get training } Personal
advancement
11. To get married } Personal
advancement
12. Social, economic and health
benefits }Personal/family advancement
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Migration as a Global Phenomenon

Impacts of migration:
Motivate the need to protect and help people
who migrate - a task that requires individual
States and international institutions to
cooperate and act collectively.
Most international migrants are from
developing countries but migration does not
just occur from the South to the North.
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Impacts of migration
60% of migrants live in the most
developed countries; 40% live in less
developed countries.
Migration also occurs within and/or
between developing countries.
(Migration Report, 2005)

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Migration as a Global Phenomenon

Impacts of migration
Increase in transnational migration.
According to the UN report on Migration
(2005), instead of people migrating
permanently to one location, people are
migrating more and more on a temporary,
seasonal and circular basis (moving back
and forth).
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Impacts of migration
Women now make up 49% of migrants
worldwide and more than 50% are in Asia,
Europe, Latin America, North America and
Oceania. (ILO)

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Migration is a Global
Phenomenon
Impacts of migration
Migrant workers send home every year
US$250 billion in remittances, more
than all official development assistance
and foreign direct investment put together.
(ILO)

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Impacts of migration
Developing countries lose 10-30% of
skilled workers and professionals
through "brain drain".
Least developed countries are most
affected. (ILO)

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Impacts of migration
Results in high level labor market
discrimination against migrant workers in
industrialized countries. .. ILO studies
indicate that more than 30% of qualified
immigrant applicants were unfairly
excluded in job selection procedures.
(ILO, 2005)
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Migration as a Global Phenomenon

What are the global forces that

influence migration?

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Migration as a Global Phenomenon

The global forces that influence migration:

The rise of new information and

communication technologies; and
Changes in global transportation

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Who are migrants?

(1)Refugees : People who are forced to
leave their homes due to fear of
persecution for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, social or political affiliation.
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

There are at least 12 million registered
refugees worldwide. (May be higher
because people don't always register.
Many are undocumented workers or have
been taken in by family members. (WHO,
2003)

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Who are migrants?
(2) Asylum seekers: People who have
fled to another country where they have
applied for state protection by claiming
refugee status, but have not received a
final decision on their application.

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Migration is a Global
Phenomenon
Who are migrants?
There are some 914,000 asylum seekers
worldwide. (WHO, 2003)

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Who are migrants
(3) Development displaced persons:
Are people who have moved as a result of
policies and projects undertaken in the
name of "development". (Ex: dam and
road construction, urban renewal, mining
and deforestation, establishment of
conservation parks/reserves and biosphere
projects.)
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Who are migrants
(4) Internally displaced persons
(IDPs): Are people who are forced to
relocate within their own State because of
circumstances such as war, civil conflict
and political persecution.

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Who are migrants
During the 1990s, some 90 - 100 million
people around the world were displaced
as a result of infrastructure development
projects. (WHO, 2003)
There are at least 20 to 25 million
Internally Displaced People (IDPs)
worldwide. (WHO, 2003)
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Who are migrants

(5) Migrant workers : People who work

in a state other than their country of origin
or nationality. Of some 175 million
migrants in the world, some 120 million
(about 70%) are migrant workers and their
families (WHO, 2003):
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Number of migrant workers in different
parts of the world (WHO 2003):
Africa: 20 million
North America: 18 million
Central & South America: 12 million
South and East Asia: 7 million
Middle East: 9 million
Europe: 30 million (21 million in W.Europe
alone)
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Category of migrants

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Permanent migrants
Major category in Canada. But there is no
common legal definition of a permanent migrant.
The practice of defining immigrant categories,
qualifications and treatment varies from country
to country.
In general, countries are becoming more
selective in terms of gender and age when it
comes to international labor migration.

Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Temporary contract workers
This is the most common category of
documented labor migrants.
They are allowed to enter a country for a
limited period of time or until their contract
expires.

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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Most temporary workers are low skilled and
recruited to work in seasonal occupations
such as agriculture and construction;
others are low-paid, less-skilled jobs in
cleaning and maintenance, domestic
services and health care.
Later, recruitment has included highskilled information technology trained
personnel and other professionals.
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Migration is a Global Phenomenon

Who are migrants
(6) Foreign students: People who move to
benefit from academic programs and
opportunities offered by countries and
educational institutions.
The U.S. is the most popular destination,
with almost 5.55 million foreign students
enrolled in U.S. universities during the 20002001 academic year.
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