We Will Pay You To Go Home

As the economic down-turn leads to increased joblessness, many countries are paying immigrant workers to return to their home countries. Japan, Spain, and the Cezech Republic are paying immigrant workers to return home with the stipulation that they not migrate back to the aforementioned countries for an x-amount of years.  Thus, freeing up jobs for citizens and creating a bandage solution to crime and homelessness-as if these issues are only an “immigrant problem”.

BBC’s “World Have Your Say” reported this week that Czech Republic is offering just under $1,000 per immigrant; the Spanish government has offered six months of unemployment benefits, around $18500; and Japan is offering $3,888 per Latino worker plus an additional $2,000 per dependent.

According to The Wall Street Journal, large numbers of immigrants are actually taking up the offers; however, some are choosing to bypass the pay-off.  Many find that the money they borrowed to arrive in these countries far exceeds the amount being offered.  It would be very difficult for them to return home and find jobs that would help them repay their loans-the very reason they immigrated abroad.  Jobs at home don’t provide a reliable and sustainable source of income.

Ultimately, these “pay-offs” frame immigrants as the root cause of problems in foreign countries.  Not only do immigrants take-away jobs from local citizens; in a declining economy their joblessness leads to crimes and homelessness. Once again, the scapegoat is immigrants.  The Economist reports that paying off immigrants to return to their home countries is a temporary solution to deeper problems.

What do you think?