Labor Mobility and Migration - Essay Example

The paper "Labor Mobility and Migration" is an outstanding example of an essay on social science. Migration, throughout the ascendancy of mankind, has been the most distinguishing interactive characteristics of the humankind. William McNeill an historian wrote that from the time our ancestors fully became human, they were already migratory. He added that no dominant species has spread as first as human beings have. From the early times to the modern era, the latter were not concerned about how migrants might be received where they migrate to. If the land was idle, they would comfortably settle in it (Ariss et al., 2012).  Nevertheless, if it was not, the migrant if he/she came individually, would simply settle but if they came together, they would often fight to displace those already there. The outcome of the struggle would be death, enslavement or exile for the losers.

In the modern world, migration has been politically defined, economically organized by urbanization pressures and industrialization. Movement of people and workers was destined to encounter both man-made institutional barriers and national limitations. Unlike earlier times, today's migrants migrate to territories already occupied by others not considering that countries are already under stress.

 Due to the current global economic crisis, European labor markets need new incentives to avoid economic decline, negative attitudes or growth risk aversion towards immigration. Well-being, growth, social security and employment depend on whether the reaction to the new challenges faced is innovative and flexible. There is no trace that labor mobility has increased in Europe. Barriers such as the absence of cross-border recognition of professional qualifications and non-transparent markets can lead to potential negative effects.  Non-European migrants in Europe face mobility difficulties. Migration of labor is generally associated with distributive, allocative and external effects (Ariss et al., 2012). They generally underwrite to better employment of economic resources leading to greater well-being and increased production. Immigrants are useful in swift reduction of imbalance brought on by the incapability of inherent production factors to quickly adjust. When the labor market is characterized by unemployment, it exhibits an imbalance and hence worsening migration which would correspond directly with the number of immigrants. However, competition caused by immigration can loosen union minimum wages, raise mobility and the rigid structure of the labor market situation (Ariss et al., 2012).

Labor can be divided into trained and untrained laborers. The labor market for unskilled workers is insufficient when the wages are too high.  Whereas, the labor market for high-skilled laborers is always a shortage. The three production factors of capital, unskilled and skilled labor are naturally harmonizing. Increasing one of the factors amplifies the others to be more productive and equivalent’s to better pay stability (Ariss et al., 2012). If, for instance, the shortage of skilled labor were to be eradicated the wages of skilled labor would be lower, and that of the unskilled would be higher. Their wages also may upsurge as they become rarer. Qualified migration can, therefore, lead to both more equality and better welfare. Equally, the migration of unskilled labor is highly difficult since it raises the rate of unemployment and inequality.

The issue of refugee movements is rapidly increasing worldly. The United Nations have estimated that there were 17 million refugees outside their native nations and 87% of them are located in less developed countries (Ariss et al., 2012). The instability of their governments is the main cause of these refugee outflows. These instabilities are brought about by economic social and political factors. The main root of this is political instability. The governments of the affected countries find it difficult to sustain the soaring population growth rate which is directly linked to its inability to provide adequate health, housing and education (Ariss et al., 2012). It also initiates conflicts over land use and ownership in which if the government fails to control, emigration becomes an ever-lasting factor.

Due to the increased communication systems, people find the need to improve themselves for a better life. Once the process begins, connections are linked to families and friends and, therefore, expand the movements if the chance to, is available.