Jobs are the lifeblood for national economies and family budgets. The search for economic opportunity often drives people to move around the globe. The most educated and highly skilled workers are in demand, and immigration policies often reflect that priority. Less skilled would-be immigrants, however, are often subject to tighter restrictions – even in nations where native citizens refuse to take on harvesting, construction, cleaning or other difficult tasks. Advanced technology reduces the need for labor; employers also rely on outsourcing, contract workers and the internet for digital work, including tax preparation, X-ray analysis or graphic design. Nations fiercely compete for jobs while multinational corporations reduce labor costs to increase profits.

10 Insights From a Decade of Measuring the Gender Gap

Inequality in wages, work, leadership lingers for women around the globe
Saadia Zahidi
November 20, 2014

Bangladeshi Workers Organize to Protect Their Most Valuable Export: Themselves

Unions protect workers from exploitation
Tiffany Williams
October 15, 2014

China's Tech Factories Turn to Student Labor

Migrant labor does not head to low-wage factories in Chongqing
Eva Dou
September 30, 2014

Theorist Eric Maskin: Globalization Is Increasing Inequality

The highly skilled may not agree that they are truly the best paid
July 15, 2014

Telangana Illegal Immigrants in Iraq in No Man’s Land

Families scramble to find documents to prove citizenship
TNN
July 14, 2014