Laws changing as immigrants aid work force

UNITED NATIONS — Rich countries have changed their attitude toward would-be immigrants and are adopting or changing laws to allow in skilled and low-skilled workers to meet specific workplace demands, according to a U.N. report released this week.

At the same time, countries are stepping up efforts to prevent and combat illegal immigration, especially since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it said.

According to the latest U.N. statistics, the number of international migrants reached 191 million in 2005. One in five of those migrants is in the United States, where Congress is engaged in a divisive debate over what to do with the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants.

The report said 75 percent of international migrants are concentrated in 28 countries — with the United States the top destination followed by Russia, Germany, Ukraine and France.

According to Tuesday's report by the U.N. Population Division, given the low fertility levels in developed countries, migration has become a major source of population growth — accounting for three-quarters of growth in 2000-2005.

"If current trends continue, between 2010 and 2030 net migration will likely account for virtually all their growth," the report said.

Many of those governments have had relaxed laws for some migrants since 1990, "especially skilled migrants and temporary low-skilled workers."

Since 1965, the report said, "the United States has had an employment-based preference to accommodate the admission of immigrants with needed skills; the ceiling for visas in that category was raised to 140,000 annually by the Immigration Act of 1990. Moreover, the United States has several visa categories allowing the temporary admission of skilled personnel."

Today, the report said, just six developed countries want to reduce immigration: Denmark, Estonia, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania, the report said. But Denmark, France and the Netherlands hope to admit more skilled workers while Italy is promoting temporary migrant workers.

In addition, countries whose workers are migrating have more actively encouraged their return and strengthened ties with their expatriates to encourage them to help promote development at home.

Ghana's Interior Minister Papa Owusu-Ankomah said his government is trying to do just that, with some success.

"My view is that putting restrictive barriers in the way of migration cannot reduce the number; it rather makes people more determined," he said.

According to the World Bank, remittances from migrants rose to $226 billion in 2004 — $145 billion of which went to developing countries. The main receiving countries were India, with $21.7 billion; China, $21.3 billion; Mexico, $18.1 billion; and the Philippines, $11.6 billion.