What is it about?
It examines the deep interconnections between labour migration, immigration frameworks, and refugee policies. It focuses especially on the experiences of female migrants, using a case study approach to explore the journey of a woman navigating transnational work, education, and remittance responsibilities. The article highlights how migrants often finance their relocation through personal savings, loans, or social networks, and how their educational qualifications may not be recognized abroad, limiting their job opportunities. The research underscores that labour migration is not just an economic issue but also a social and human rights matter, especially when migration is forced or exploitative. It analyzes how international and national policies often fail to address the complexity of migration experiences, particularly among women who may face double vulnerability economic and gender-based. Key themes include the need for gender-sensitive migration policies, fair labor standards, recognition of foreign qualifications, and the inclusion of migrant voices in policy-making. The study advocates for reforms that link migration governance to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, pushing for a balance between national interest and global justice. By mapping the lived realities of migrant workers, the article calls for a more inclusive, humane approach to immigration and refugee policies one that goes beyond economic metrics and incorporates social justice, equity, and development. It serves as a call to rethink migration policy in light of real-world complexities and human dignity.
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Why is it important?
The article is important because it highlights how labour migration is deeply connected to broader issues like immigration policy, refugee protection, gender equity, and global development. It shows that many migrants especially women face challenges such as exploitation, lack of recognition for their skills, and limited access to legal protection. By focusing on real experiences, the article reveals how current policies often ignore the social and human rights dimensions of migration. This research urges policymakers to adopt more inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches that support migrants as contributors to both their home and host countries. It emphasizes the need to align migration policies with sustainable development goals, ensuring fair treatment, protection, and opportunity for all migrants.
Perspectives
The article presents multiple perspectives on labour migration, emphasizing its complexity beyond economic factors. From a human rights perspective, it highlights the need to protect migrants especially women from exploitation, discrimination, and policy gaps that often leave them vulnerable. The gender perspective is central, showing how women face unique challenges shaped by societal roles, family responsibilities, and limited access to legal and economic opportunities. Through a development lens, the article illustrates how migrants drive economic growth by sending remittances and filling crucial labor shortages, contributing to both origin and destination countries. Finally, the policy perspective critiques current immigration and refugee systems for neglecting the lived realities of labour migrants. It calls for reforms that are inclusive, gender-sensitive, and aligned with global development goals to ensure fairness and social justice in migration governance.
Professor. Dr. Sanmugam Annamalah
SEGi University Kota Damansara
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Mapping Labour Migration's Influence on Immigration, Refugee Policies, and Beyond, Journal of Ecohumanism, January 2025, Creative Publishing House,
DOI: 10.62754/joe.v4i1.5983.
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