Nowadays some people think that increasing migration is a negative phenomenon. They assert that migration leads to economic losses in the countries of origin and in host countries alike, as well as increases social pressure since the families of migrants often fall apart. These arguments have been widely used to oppose migration at different levels of modern society. However, it appears that for every minus of migration there may be found a plus. THESIS STATEMENT: Migration boosts economic growth in host countries, provides economic benefit to the countries of origin through remittances, and helps to support families in the countries of origin economically.
People who oppose migration often say that it has a negative impact on the economies of sending and host countries. They are worried about the fact that countries of origin often lose qualified workers, especially young workforce, which brings economic disadvantages to these countries. For example, the number of emigrants from Romania, a country in the South-Eastern Europe, has reached 2 million people over the last decade and a half. This has led to the loss of human capital, which means that Romania will require labor immigration in the future (Horváth, 2007, p.1). Similarly, increased rates of emigration from Latvia, which became the member of the European Union back in 2004, have led to the loss of young workforce and the so-called “brain-drain” (Rozite, 2009, p.1). As for the host countries, these are said to suffer economically, too. Increased supply of workers leads to increased competition in the labor market and sometimes even to depression of wages (Olney, 2012, p.2). For instance, the 2007 Gallup Organization poll revealed that 46 % of Americans think that immigration leads to worsening of the U.S. economy (Sisk, n.d.). Likewise, Britons are “increasingly negative” about the impact of mass migration on the U.K. economy in the past decade, according to research (Bedford, 2012).
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People who oppose migration also say that it has a negative impact on the family, since emigration may lead to broken families. When a family member immigrates to another country, this is often done for economic reasons. Migrants usually take up low paid jobs, which still allow saving money and sending payments home. While many of them initially decide to migrate only temporarily, they may change their mind with time and decide to stay in a host country. Families are broken this way and children may lose one of their parents. Besides, while staying in a remote country without a spouse, immigrants may start cheating on their husbands or wives, which is likely to lead to family breakdown and divorce. Also, immigrants who have started their families in a host country may be subject to deportation under the laws of this country, which means their families get broken. In this context, children are the biggest concern because many of them are either left behind or grow outside adequate family circles (The Pros and Cons of Migration, 2012). For example, Salmon, a 52 year old Jamaican national, is undergoing deportation proceedings even though he is married to a U.S. citizen and is a father of five (Ruiz, 2009).
However, the arguments discussed above show only one side to the problem. Migration may have adverse impacts on economy and social life, but it certainly has some advantages, which account for the rising number of migrants across the world of late. For each of the minuses above, a plus can be found. Specifically, migration is known to bring benefits to both sending and host countries. Sending countries receive remittances which are often larger than foreign aid. As for the host countries, they fill the gap in the workforce, including both skilled and unskilled workers. Despite seemingly high rates of broken families, many family members reunite and keep together. Besides, immigrants to developed countries are able to support their children financially. For example, millions of emigrants from the Philippines, these so-called “modern-day heroes”, are able to sustain their families as well as their country’s economy through their remittances (Overseas Filipinos, 2012).
In conclusion, the advantages of migration outweigh its disadvantages. Migration is a source of financial benefit for each of the parties involved. It helps to sustain families left in poorer countries and benefits the economies of both sending and host countries. For each of its minuses, migration offers its own plus.