IMMIGRATION-EMIGRATION
Immigration, as the movement of people with the purpose of settling in another country, is a common reality nowadays. People change country for a variety of reasons, from politics or a shortage of employment to personal motives.
However, all those nations that call themselves “developed” and many of those branded as "sub-developed" place heavy restrictions on the migratory flow. They justify their policies claiming that cheap labour would mean unfair competition, and alleging the supposed burden that would be placed on the social services. At this moment in time, most countries only allow immigration under special circumstances, that is, to occupy jobs that are not locally covered or in the case of marriage, political asylum seekers or under multilateral agreements (for instance, within the European Union).
What is not considered, however, is that the work carried out by settled people becomes an essential condition for the country’s economic growth, apart from often rejuvenating the population in the process. In Spain, for example, the average age of those who come here to work is between 25 and 35, and they are mostly employed in the construction or services sectors. Besides, studies have shown that there is no direct relationship between the fall in wages and immigration. In the case of the black economy, it should be emphasised that it takes two sides for this circumstance to come about: the immigrant and the local employer.
Nevertheless, the underlying reason for limiting entry to a country is usually the fear that a national culture would be drowned by waves of immigrants from another race, culture or religion. So, the increase in diversity we see on the streets has come to be joined by an increase in xenophobic outbursts that have even given rise to political parties who include the end of immigration among their objectives.
One sector of economists, for its part, declares that an internationally free labour market, without immigration restrictions, would contribute to boosting general prosperity in the long term. Other voices do not agree, and they point out that this situation would have a negative effect on wages and that it would escalate the population figures to unsustainable levels. In our country the truth is that the Gross Domestic Product has risen 4% thanks to foreign labour and it is estimated that the income from Social Security contributions has doubled the costs generated by immigrant families.
However, a survey carried out by the Spanish Sociological Research Centre (CIS as per its initials in Spanish) among young people between the ages of 15 and 29, concluded that 60% believe that the foreign collective is too numerous and almost half blamed them for the rise in unemployment and delinquency. Fortunately, and even though general attitudes place themselves between mistrust (32%) and indifference (20%), 70% reject any act of violence against this minority.
The mix of nationalities necessarily leads to the co-existence of cultures that obliges us to respect each other in order to maintain a pacific society. It is not a question of accepting a different person with a certain fatalism, the idea is to aim towards social integration, making it easier for these citizens to participate. The real problems posed by immigration are basically the high rates of irregularity, the structural conditions they generate, the social exclusion we live with and the discrimination in the job market, among others.