MIGRATION IN THE CARIBBEAN C ONTEXTUALIZING THE F INDINGS OF THE STUDY OF THE FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS AND OTHER FORMS OF MIGRATION IN CARICOM MEMBER STATES IN THE FIRST DECADE OF THE 21 ST CENTURY Dennis A.V. Brown IN THE CARIBBEAN

GLOBAL PROCESSES AND HISTORICAL CHANGE IN THE CARIBBEAN The character of Caribbean society derives from an interface between processes at the local, regional and global levels. The driver of this process is what takes place at global level Long wave thesis- techno-economic innovation and diffusion creates historical epochs

MIGRATION AS A TRANSMUTABLE PROCESS Migration takes its tone and character from the societal context within which it operates. As society changes overtime so does the character of migration The migration process is not fixed and rigid, but transmutable Migration is grounded in the character of Caribbean society as shaped by its place in the wider global economy

THE EPOCHS Industrial Revolution- steam as a basis for mechanization. Last third of the 19 th century-electricity as major source of energy in production process. 1940s-60s-Technologies centered on use of petrochemicals to provide cheap energy. Present-information technologies and microelectronics.

FEATURES OF THE HISTORICAL MOVEMENTS Epoch 1. Involuntary into bondage-slavery indentureship. Both sexes, more men than women Epoch 2. Temporary, sex selective, men into arduous, restrictive contract labour. Epoch 3. Both sexes, non-restrictive terms, mostly artisan. Long term stay. Epoch 4. Continuity of movement

CHARACTER OF CARIBBEAN MIGRATION Migration decisions at the individual level are framed by the techno-economic character of the historical epoch and mediated by factors such as class, gender, world view and the culture of migration that operates at the local level. These change over historical time in keeping with the changes that take place in Caribbean society.

MIGRATION: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES Globalization and its impact on the region Loss of trade preferences-need for regional voice Structural adjustment Need for proper management of resultant changes and socioeconomic imbalances Some territories successful, some not-region fragmented socioeconomically Migration space opened; N. Atlantic migration options more restrictive*

FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS MIGRATION REGIME FMoP migration regime is a natural accompaniment to regionalism Based on the principle of the need to achieve economic efficiency through the unencumbered movement of the factors of production Labour is one such factor the free movement of which, it is posited, should lead to greater economic efficiencies within regional economies

OBJECTIVES OF CARICOM MIGRATION STUDY To identify the status of implementation of free movement of persons To determine the levels of migration under the free movement of persons regime and the work permit system To understand the impact of migration on the labour market and on the social services of the identified countries.

METHODOLOGY Formal interviews with government officials and members of civil society Focus group discussions with legal migrants, nationals Formal questionnaires to legal migrants and nationals

DATA QUALITY ISSUES : WORK PERMIT HOLDERS The data as it exists is based on permits issued per year This involves double counting since some of these would be renewals. Limits comparability Suggestions: 1.Disaggregate first applications per year and renewals 2.Use point in time figure e.g. Annual average

DATA QUALITY ISSUES : SKILLED NATIONAL CERTIFICATES Some individuals are issued more than one Skilled National Certificate ▫One in home country ▫One in destination country Some persons are issued Skilled National Certificates but do not migrate Some countries verify and do not issue another certificate (e.g. Jamaica and St. Kitts &Nevis

DATA QUALITY ISSUES : SKILLED NATIONAL CERTIFICATES Some countries verify but issue another certificate (e.g. St. Lucia) Conclusions ▫The number of Skilled National Certificates issued may not equal the number of persons who have received them ▫The number of Skilled National Certificates issued is not equal to the number of persons that have migrated

THE CONTEMPORARY INTRA-REGIONAL MIGRATION PATTERN Increased fragmentation has heightened the traditional pattern of movement from less well off to more well off territory Movement also includes undocumented migrants Also created some historically new patterns:  Movement of Guyanese  Movement of Jamaicans  Movement to the British Dependencies

FMOP : NATURE AND CHARACTER Movement dominated by educated elite, approx 75% of movers are university graduates More females than males- approx 55/45 Under 35s major age category As a general rule, main movement tends to be from less developed to more developed territories

WORK PERMIT HOLDERS: NATURE AND CHARACTER OF MOVEMENT Main labour recruiting facility in the region Male dominated Full range of skills, but with a skew towards lower level skills

TABLE SHOWING MAGNITUDE OF CSME SKILLED NATIONALS Country Non national SNC holder National SNC holder Total Guyana Jamaica Montserrat 0 St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Barbados St. Vincent Grenada ( ) Dominica Belize Total

WORK PERMIT HOLDERS : MAGNITUDE Country of Issue Caricom 2008 Guyana * Jamaica Montserrat St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia CARICOM only Suriname Trinidad and Tobago to Barbados St. Vincent Grenada Dominica Belize ---- Total

IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES Absence of overarching authority Lack of Resources and capabilities Tensions associated with guaranteeing right of access and privileges normally reserved for nationals to non-nationals. Exacerbated by socioeconomic differences between territories

ABSENCE OF OVERARCHING AUTHORITY This is associated with: ▫ Disparities in the rate at which regional level agreements are translated into domestic policy and law at the territorial level ▫No translation of regional agreements into domestic policy and law ▫Differing interpretations of the regional agreement at the territorial level. This leads to lack of standardization of procedures

COMMON DISCREPANCIES RELATED TO ABSENCE OF REGIONAL AUTHORITY Lack of verification Confusion over qualification or occupation Confusion over contingent rights of spouses and dependents Non-enactment of Movement of factors Act Lack of standardization of occupational categories having right of entry

IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES: LACK OF RESOURCES This affects: ▫Implementation of Contingent Rights ▫Monitoring function ▫Public education function

IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES: TENSIONS CREATED BY GRANTING RIGHT OF ACCESS Right of non-national to access national space on same terms as citizens is new and requires new mind-set Some territories more accommodating than others Tendency of wealthier countries to deny or limit these rights to citizens of less prosperous countries. e.g. Attitude of Barbados to Guyanese and OECS persons;

IMPACT: SUMMARY Fragmentation of the region associated with imbalance in the intra regional migration flows These have not been associated with undue pressure on the social institutional framework of the receiving countries Territories with shortage of skills in strategic sectors and below replacement fertility levels have in fact benefitted from the inward movement of skills

IMPACT: SUMMARY One sending country has suffered depletion of its human capital stock Critical issue: Identification and creation of those administrative systems and mechanisms that level the playing field so as to reduce costs while allowing for accrual of benefits of integration, eg need for resource infusion into strategic sectors, health and education in Guyana

LABOUR MARKET ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS Shortages caused by : ▫ Below replacement fertility ▫Extra regional migration Movement of specialist skills in the region Filling social sector skilled labour shortages: a zero sum game?