Return of the natives
At a time of fluid movement of skilled migrants between countries, some nations are making it difficult for them to settle down. Britain has already announced its decision to withdraw a provision that allowed people who had worked in the country for five years to get permanent residency. Now it is becoming even tougher to get the coveted Green Card in the US, especially for Indians and the Chinese. The average waiting time is increasing and one recent study says it could take up to 70 years to get one.
While this may be an exaggeration, there is no question that Western economies, hit by rising unemployment and slowing economies, are going into protectionist mode. The Great American Dream has no place for outsiders. When there was a need for skilled professionals, these same countries rolled out the red carpet. The better the potential immigrant’s qualifications, the easier it was to migrate. Doors were opened for everyone from nurses to IT specialists. With the Western economies sputtering and likely to get worse, politicians realised they had to quickly do something to ensure their constituents were not hurt. Migration is a hot-button issue in many countries and keeping out foreign workers the obvious solution.
In the coming months and years, moving abroad will no longer be a viable option. Indeed, reverse migration, already a trickle, could become a flood as disillusioned migrants return to India to look for opportunities, which this country’s growing economy has to offer in plenty.
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