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First published online: 10 August 2017 It is widely accepted that people migrate to seek better living opportunities, and migration experiences affect life conditions considerably upon return. Research focused on gendered perspectives has illustrated that men and women experience migration differently and that this difference clearly affects their living conditions upon return. However, few studies have sought to further examine the factors that determine the differences in men and women’s perceptions upon return. This paper investigates the case of Ethiopian returnees by exploring three sets of independent variables: (1) the migration experience, (2) the return experience, and (3) the post-return conditions in Ethiopia. For this analysis, we utilize a subsample of returnees based on a household survey conducted among 1,284 households in five regions of Ethiopia in 2011. The subsample consists of 146 returnees and provides valuable information on the diverse experiences of returnees. Both the descriptive and logistic regression analyses demonstrate that: first, women have significantly worse perceptions of their living conditions upon return to Ethiopia than men do; second, migration experiences are the most significant variables that influence perceptions of living conditions upon return. Considering this latter result, we conclude by highlighting the importance of situating return experiences within the wider context of the entire migration cycle and recognizing the long-term effects of migration experiences that persist after return.

First published online : 18 October 2016 This article explores how migrating via a strong or weak tie results in different outcomes for Ethiopian domestic workers in their migration to the Middle East. Few studies have examined this question. Ethiopian domestic workers are a good case for this analysis as networks are critical for providing information and support for live-in domestic workers in the Middle East. Migrating via a strong tie was expected to result in better migration outcomes. The results, however, suggested that migrating via a strong tie can provide support in some cases, but is not enough to guarantee protection to Ethiopian migrant workers in the Middle East.

This paper provides evidence on the impacts of agricultural productivity on employment growth and structural transformation of non-farm activities. To guide the empirical work, this paper develops a general equilibrium model that emphasizes distinctions among non-farm activities in terms of tradable-non-tradable and the formal-informal characteristics. The model shows that when a significant portion of village income is spent on town/urban goods, restricting empirical analysis to the village sample leads to underestimation of agriculture's role in employment growth and transformation of non-farm activities. Using rainfall as an instrument for agricultural productivity, empirical analysis finds a significant positive effect of agricultural productivity growth on growth of informal (small-scale) manufacturing and skilled services employment, mainly in education and health services. For formal employment, the effect of agricultural productivity growth on employment is found to be largest in the samples that include urban areas and rural towns compared with rural areas alone. Agricultural productivity growth is found to induce structural transformation within the services sector with employment in formal/skilled services growing at a faster pace than that of low skilled services.

Growth moderated throughout 2015, affected by a slowdown in private consumption and weak export growth. The authorities have generally managed the downturn in commodity prices and the financial market volatility with a reasonable mix of macro policies. Heightened external volatility calls for prudent macro policies and acceleration of structural reforms. The eleventh Malaysia plan stresses the importance of effective migration management to achieve high-income country status by 2020. Immigration continues to play a crucial role in Malaysia’s development. While job growth has recently been concentrated in high-skilled occupations, three quarters of all jobs in Malaysia are still low- and mid-skilled. Econometric modelling suggests that immigrant workers can raise gross domestic product (GDP) and create employment for Malaysians. The current process for sourcing immigrant workers is complex and costly for the migrant. The immigration system can better meet the country’s development objectives if it is aligned with Malaysia’s human resource development strategy. Global experience shows that successful immigration systems recognize the long-term role of immigrant workers in the hosting country’s economic and social objectives if they are: (a) market-driven, with immigration flows aligned with labor market demands; (b) comprehensive, acknowledging the need for immigrants of all types; and (c) balanced, minimizing the negative impacts on Malaysian workers, and protecting immigrant workers from abuse.

This report takes an in-depth look at the development of jobs in the Kyrgyz Republic over the past decade to understand why the country has not realized better job outcomes. Drawing on evidence at the macro, household, and firm level, it examines key shortcomings in the current migration-led, remittance-driven development model that have weakened the country’s ability to create sufficient and high-quality employment opportunities and are likely to result in deteriorating job outcomes in the future. The report argues that several broad transformations will be needed to develop engines of growth in the Kyrgyz Republic outside remittances and shift to a better jobs path. The distortions and obstacles that currently prevent the expansion of private sector employment need to be unraveled; macroeconomic, regulatory, and logistical impediments to greater, more diversified export orientation need to be strategically addressed; the compensation of public employees must be reformed to reduce the level of corruption that discourages business growth; and the migration phenomenon, which will be a part of the employment mosaic for at least another decade, must be made to contribute to domestic employment creation and the country’s development.

This paper empirically studies the dynamics of labor market adjustment following the Brazilian trade reform of the 1990s. The paper uses variation in industry-specific tariff cuts interacted with initial regional industry mix to measure trade-induced local labor demand shocks and examines regional and individual labor market responses to those one-time shocks over two decades. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the analysis does not find that the impact of local shocks is dissipated over time through wage-equalizing migration. Instead, it finds steadily growing effects of local shocks on regional formal sector wages and employment for 20 years. This finding can be rationalized in a simple equilibrium model with two complementary factors of production, labor and industry-specific factors such as capital, that adjust slowly and imperfectly to shocks. Next, the paper documents rich margins of adjustment induced by the trade reform at the regional and individual levels. Workers initially employed in harder hit regions face continuously deteriorating formal labor market outcomes relative to workers employed in less affected regions, and this gap persists even 20 years after the beginning of trade liberalization. Negative local trade shocks induce workers to shift out of the formal tradable sector and into the formal nontradable sector. Non-employment strongly increases in harder hit regions in the medium run, but in the longer run, non-employed workers eventually find re-employment in the informal sector. Working age population does not react to these local shocks, but formal sector net migration does, consistent with the relative decline of the formal sector and growth of the informal sector in adversely affected regions.

This study aimed to investigate the union of the domestic workers from João Pessoa city and their collective action against the current context of institutional change in the regulation‟s pattern of their labor rights. To achieve this objective, it was necessary theoretical basis about the labor and its new settings, the sexual division of labor, the labor market in Brazil, and a specific literature about domestic employment, highlighting its history, precarious situation and the actions and policies targeting category. This research was outlined by a qualitative approach whose case study was conducted at the Union of Domestic Workers of João Pessoa. The subjects were, beyond the union president, twelve (12) workers associated and active in the institution. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews, document analysis and direct observation that occurred in August and September 2013. Regarding the results of the survey, it was sought to characterize the social and demographic profile of the domestic workers; investigate how works the organization and the structure of the union; how it is mobilized politically and to investigate how to the legislation change influences the political action and the working conditions of the category. The results shows that the profile of the interviewed maids follows the pattern found in Brazil: women, black, poor and poorly educated. Most of them work unregistered, informally, receiving a minimum wage and do not contributing to social security. As regards the organization of the union, one realizes that it is a fight that has dragged on for several years, which counts with numerous important partnerships for it to keep working, such as CUT, the Feminist Movement, and the Black Movement. It is highlighted the importance of SINTRICOM (Union of Construction Workers) for union researched, since it is responsible for enabling all necessary for the operation and maintenance of the union of the domestic structure. With regard to the actions of the union itself, we note that the biggest problem faced by the union is the lack of political awareness on the part of the maids. For most respondents, the union is not just a space for professional representation, but also a space where they feel comfortable, useful, valued and it is an area of continuous learning and fellowship. The domestic workers received favorably and with great expectations the acquired rights from the PEC. Even with all the barriers faced by the union and by category, the respondents believe that working conditions will improve after the adoption of the PEC. Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar o sindicato das empregadas domésticas da cidade de João Pessoa e sua ação coletiva face ao atual contexto de mudança institucional no padrão de regulação de seus direitos trabalhistas. Para que esse objetivo fosse atingido fez-se necessário o embasamento teórico a respeito do trabalho e suas novas configurações, da divisão sexual do trabalho, do mercado de trabalho no Brasil e, de uma literatura especifica sobre o emprego doméstico, evidenciando sua história, sua situação de precariedade e as ações e políticas públicas direcionadas à categoria. O presente estudo se delineou por meio de uma pesquisa qualitativa, cujo estudo de caso foi realizado no Sindicato das Empregadas Domésticas de João Pessoa. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram, além da presidente do sindicato, 12 (doze) empregadas domésticas associadas e ativas na instituição. A coleta de dados se deu por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, análise de documentos e observação direta, ocorridas nos meses de Agosto e Setembro de 2013. Em relação aos resultados da pesquisa, buscou-se caracterizar o perfil social e demográfico das empregadas domésticas; investigar como se dá a organização e estruturação do sindicato; como se mobiliza politicamente e; de que maneira a mudança na legislação influencia a ação política e as condições de trabalho da categoria. Os resultados mostraram que o perfil das empregadas domésticas entrevistadas segue o padrão encontrado no Brasil: mulheres, negras, pobres, com pouca escolaridade. A maioria delas trabalha sem registro em carteira, na informalidade, recebem até um salário mínimo e não contribuem para a previdência. No que se refere à organização do sindicato, percebe-se que é uma luta que se arrasta há vários anos; que conta com inúmeras parcerias importantes para o seu funcionamento, como a CUT, o Movimento Feminista, e o Movimento Negro. Destaca-se a importância do SINTRICOM (Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Construção Civil) para o sindicato pesquisado, uma vez que aquele é o responsável por viabilizar toda a estrutura necessária para o funcionamento e manutenção do sindicato das domésticas. No que se refere à atuação do sindicato em si, nota-se que o maior problema enfrentado pelo sindicato é a falta de conscientização política por parte das empregadas domésticas. Para a maioria das entrevistadas, o sindicato não é apenas uma espaço de representação profissional, mas também um espaço em que elas se sentem bem, úteis, valorizadas, além de ser um espaço de contínua aprendizagem e de companheirismo. As domésticas receberam com bons olhos e com uma grande expectativa os direitos adquiridos com a PEC. Mesmo com todas as barreiras enfrentadas pelo sindicato e pela categoria, as entrevistadas acreditam que as condições de trabalho irão melhorar depois da aprovação da PEC.

Using census data for 1996, 2001 and 2007 we study the labor market effect of immigration to South Africa. The paper contributes to a small but growing literature on the impact of South-South migration by looking at one of the most attractive destinations for migrant workers in Sub-Saharan Africa. We exploit the variation - both at the district level and at the national one - in the share of foreign-born male workers across schooling and experience groups over time. At the district level, we estimate that increased immigration has a negative and significant effect on natives' employment rates - and that this effect is more negative for skilled and white South African native workers - but not on total income. These results are robust to using an instrumental variable estimation strategy. At the national level, we find that increased immigration has a negative and significant effect on natives' total income but not on employment rates. Our results are consistent with outflows of natives to other districts as a consequence of migration, as in Borjas (2006).