In The News

American Graduates Finding Jobs in China

Hannah Seligson August 19, 2009
Faced with near double-digit unemployment at home, US college graduates are flocking to China due to its growing economy, entrepreneurial atmosphere and lower cost of living, not to mention its low urban unemployment. What is perhaps surprising is that a number of these graduates knew little about China or its language before arriving. But the opportunity for quick advancement proved more...

Overseas and Under Siege

August 18, 2009
Since 2006, Chinese immigrants have suffered a backlash of violence at the hands of locals in the Solomon Islands, Lesotho, and Algeria, among others. The reasons behind the widespread anti-Chinese sentiment range from cultural clashes to accusations of meddling in local politics. But a more fundamental reason could be rooted in economics, xenophobia notwithstanding. China’s sponsorship of...

Doctors in Cuba Start Over in the US

Mirta Ojito August 7, 2009
Within the last six years about six thousand medical professionals have left Cuba. The numbers escalated in 2006, aided by the Department of Homeland Security’s program to welcome to the US, Cuban medical personnel studying or working in a third country under the auspices of the Cuban government. Over two thousand Cubans have escaped to the US under this parole program. While the outflow of its...

Will the Crisis Reverse Global Migration?

Jayati Ghosh July 14, 2009
The current global financial crisis has led many an analyst to predict a reversal of recent growth trends in migration and a dramatic fall in remittances. While some data may confirm such predictions, it may not turn out that way in the end. As economist Jayati Ghosh argues, remittances may not decline as much due to gender issues and demographic factors and migration may be stickier than...

A New (Under) Class of Travellers

June 30, 2009
Experts believe that an increase in environmental crises like droughts or floods due to climate change will cause an attendant increase in migration. How many people will be affected remains unclear with estimates ranging from 200 million to 700 million by 2050. The issue is complicated not only by where to place responsibility for aiding those uprooted by environmental degradation, but also by...

The Great U-Turn

Patrick Barta, Joel Millman June 18, 2009
Over the past century, individuals seeking to better their lives have seen the US as the land of opportunity. But the recent economic recession has apparently changed this view, as some immigrants are deciding to return home, for good. But it is not just the US that faces this new trend. This year, many developed countries have seen double digit year-over-year drops in immigration rates from...

Immigrants Become Hostages As Gangs Prey On Mexicans

Joel Millman June 12, 2009
The September 11 attacks and tough economic times have created new twists on labor smuggling. As a result of 9/11, authorities have cracked down on illegal border crossings between the US and Mexico. The higher cost and risk to sneak across the border attracted larger criminal gangs, driving out the smaller labor smugglers that once facilitated such crossings. But the gangs themselves found that...