TIL: Immigration Ratios

[timelets]

From Eric Posner and E. Weyl, Radical Markets:


USA - 1:9
Bahrain, Oman - 1:1
Saudi Arabia - 1:2
Singapore - 2:3
Australia - 1:2

In high-ratio countries, economic benefits of immigration come with severe rights restrictions and efficient police enforcement attached.

Comments

[lm644]

I would not cite GCC countries as an example to follow. Their migrants are a workforce with no rights, mostly unskilled labor from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other less fortunate countries. These migrants are heavily exploited and treated dismally.

Even more prosperous professionals from India, Egypt, Jordan, etc. have no hope of ever becoming citizens and are forever a third class citizens (albeit well compensated for their troubles).

[timelets]

I agree. It was surprising to me to find out that the rations were so high for GCC countries. Although I had seen lots of foreign workers in Singapore, I didn't realize there were so many of them in relative terms. Singapore is a really small country; their practices would not work in the US, even if some immigrants would be willing to accept them.

[lm644]

Bahrain and other Gulf countries are different from Singapore and anybody else. The oil wealth distorted their economies in a very particular way: all natives share (to various degrees, depending on the population size) in the wealth either by direct revenue distribution via certain benefits (housing, education, health care, income support) or through pretty much guaranteed public employment. In short, migrants are the only ones who work, and that is not healthy.

[timelets]

That's what I've heard. A friend of mine is an expat in Saudi Arabia; for both security and economic reasons the live in a tightly controlled American enclave. He says that students are mostly low-motivated natives and workers are highly motivated foreigners.

[lm644]

There is a strong push from the top to change that - but it’s an uphill battle.

[timelets]

They were really concerned that oil revenues would dry up. Now it's less urgent.

[lm644]

True. However, this is only a part of the story. There is a generational change taking place; income disparity represents bigger challenge every year (KSA is neither Qatar nor Abu Dhabi, with their minuscule populations); religious authorities became too strong; etc.

[timelets]

I don't know the region enough to say something even half-reasonable here; not my cup of tea :)