Moral philosopher Joseph Carens in his seminal piece on migration, Aliens and Citizens: The Case for Open Borders, compares migration dictated by nationality to medieval feudalism privilege where the location of one’s birth determines economic and social opportunities. Some people are born into poverty in countries that offer little opportunity for them to improve their livelihoods, while others are born into relative wealth with ample opportunities to improve their situation. In other words, some are drawn a better hand than others. For the unlucky ones born in relative poverty, often, most of themmust participate in another draw to get them out of the consequences of the first one: the lucky draw of migration.
This draw is the journey many low-income Pakistanis make in hope of better economic prospects abroad owing to the lack of viable domestic alternatives. Sometimes this journey results in safe and legal employment abroad that allows the immigrant to provide for his family. Other times, it leads to a migrant being trapped in distressful conditions in the destination country, detained in jails under regimes who have no consideration for human rights, laden with debt as a consequence of false promises made by an intermediary who promised employment abroad, oreven lose their life in the journey. The probability of any of these outcomes is almost random, and rarely correlated with individual decisions. Yet, success stories and the glimmer of hope that this draw provides as a pathway to escape poverty motivates people to buy the ticket regardless.
One of the most popular destination countries for Pakistani migrant workers has been Saudi Arabia. Approximately 2.5 million Pakistanis have registered for employment in Saudi Arabia from 2010 to April 2019, which is slightly lower than the 2.7 million that registered from 1970 – 2010. However, in recent years, changes to the Saudi economy such as falling oil prices, and government policies that aim at reducing the country’s reliance on foreign workers have led to en masse deportations or unemployed Pakistanis trapped in the Kingdom. Elsewhere, there has been an increase in the absorption of Pakistani labor. For example, development plans in Qatar as part of its Vision 2030 plan have attracted workers for construction and development projects, despite reports of human rights violations.
Addressing labor migration issues in Pakistan requires a paradigm shift in policy making. First and foremost, policies need to be grounded in empathy and drafted to protect the migrant. This entails stamping down on illegal intermediaries, providing subsidized services which allow low-income migrants to find employment, and nationwide information campaigns educating workers on the legal process for migration
While it is routine for fluctuations in the economy to govern the demand and supply of labor, the implications of these fluctuations have an all too human face for Pakistani migrants. A migrant may have sold his home, moved his wife and four kids to a rented home, spent his life savings of Rs. 200,000 (c. $1,500) to pay an intermediary to make visa, ticket and employment arrangements, only to find out that the job does not exist anymore.
In addition to the personal implications for migrants, unpredictable labor migration also has macroeconomic consequences for the Pakistani economy. Remittances are a crucial feature of Pakistani economy and Pakistan receives c. $20 billion each year in remittances, which ranks it as the fifth highest remittance receiving country in the world. In times, such as now, where the Rupee has been rapidly devaluing against the Dollar coupled with the depletion of foreign reserves, remittances can be vital for the sustenance of our economy.
Addressing labor migration issues in Pakistan requires a paradigm shift in policy making. First and foremost, policies need to be grounded in empathy and drafted to protect the migrant. This entails stamping down on illegal intermediaries, providing subsidized services which allow low-income migrants to find employment, and nationwide information campaigns educating workers on the legal process for migration. To accommodate the whimsical nature of labor demand and supply, the government of Pakistan needs to adopt a more expansive approach and regulate migration to other regions of the world such as Europe, which is the second most popular destination for Pakistani migrants after the Gulf. Government led employment initiatives in Europe could be a first step in this direction. This would also limit reliance on one country for remittances, the majority of which currently come from Saudi Arabia c. 30%.The onus is also on Overseas Employment Promoters (OEP)- licensed authorities that recruit Pakistani citizens for employment abroad – to rigorously screen new companies to ensure that Pakistani immigrants do not end up with unscrupulous employers. The Pakistani Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment would also need to develop stricter enforcement protocols to monitor the OEP’s activities.
It is easy to underestimate the power of hope. The possibility of earning $4 a day instead of $1 means you can now buy a gas stove so your children can attend school instead of gathering wood. As long as there is the slightest probability of that outcome, workers will continue to buy the ticket, again and again and again.
The author is a Princeton University alumnus and works as a strategy consultant in London