|Date 28-06-2011 faculty of spatial sciences population research centre 1 A life course approach to...

|Date 28-06-2011

faculty of spatial sciences population research centre

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A life course approach to high-skilled migration:migrant biographies of Indians in theNetherlands and United Kingdom

Anu KõuPopulation Research Centre, University of GroningenPhD supervisors: Prof Dr Leo van Wissen, Prof Dr Jouke van Dijk, Dr Ajay Bailey

CPC seminar, University of Southampton, 22 July 2011

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Background

› Need for highly skilled workers› High-skilled migration (HSM) programs

and policies

› Human capital› Gap in economic theories?

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Highly skilled migrants (1)

› Canberra Manual: Human Resources in Science and Technology (HRST): ‘Successfully completed education at the third

level in am Science and Technology (S&T) field of study

Not formally qualified as above but employed in a S&T occupation where the above qualifications are normally required.’

(OECD, 1995)

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Highly skilled migrants (2)

› Higher-educated› Above average wage› Nationally or internationally scarce expertise› Economically or socially important sectors

(ACVZ, Dutch Advisory Committee on Migration Affairs, 2004: 144)

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HSM visa in the Netherlands

› 2004: knowledge migrant visa› Points-based minimum prospective

salary› 2011: Modern Migration Policy

‘Inviting for migrants in economic demand, restrictive for others’

› June 2011: European Blue Card

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HSM visa in the United Kingdom› 2002: Highly Skilled Migrant

Programme› 2008: Tier 1 (General)› 2011:

Tier 1: UK Investor; Prospective Entrepreneur; Exceptional Talent; Post Study Work

Tier 2: Work Permit, Change of Employment; Intra Company Transfers

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Labour migration to the Netherlands, 2005-2008*

* (Until 1 July 2008) x 2Source: INDIAC (2008)

14% 48%24% 56%

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Highly skilled migrants in NL2008:

› Indian 30%American 13%Chinese 7%

› 75% males, 25% females

› 50% 18-29 years, 33% 30-39 years

Source: (INDIAC, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, 2009)

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Knowledge migrants by labour market sector, NL

Sector Total % IT and other business services 287 31.6 Industry 121 13.3 Trade 78 8.6 Education and research 68 7.5 Financial services 63 7.0 Health services and welfare 44 4.9 Transport and telecom 39 4.3 Building industry 14 1.5 Agriculture and fishing 11 1.2 Catering industry 10 1.1 Public administration 6 .7 Other 166 18.3 Total 907 100 Source: Web questionnaire INDIAC, 2008

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Assumptions HSM

› Macro level: Economic gain HSM policies

› Micro level: merely returns for investment in human capital?

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Life course framework

› Labour migration not only a response to economic triggers

› Parallel careers of education, employment, household, migration

› Qualitative approach

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Methods

› Semi-structured biographical interviews Micro perspective Social embeddedness

Biographies ‘… relate trajectories to transitions and the spaces and times they flow through.’ (Bailey, 2009: 708)

› Visualisation of career interdependencies

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Research participants

› Indian origin› Working in a professional sector job› Preferably a HSMP/Tier 1/Tier 2 or

knowledge migrant visa› Age 25-40› Residential duration in UK/NL min 1

year

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Results

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Education/employment migration (1)› The choice of study field› Opportunities› International exposure› Financial reasons

‘I knew IT would give a good opportunity to go to Western countries.’ (male, age 30-34, UK)

‘If I would have stayed in India, I would be richer but I would not have the mental satisfaction.’ (male, age 35-40, UK)

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Education/employment migration (2)› Migration networks› Migration culture› ‘Fashion’, ‘craze’

‘Long before me, my supervisor’s supervisor came. Then my supervisor’s colleague came here. So there’s a tradition of people coming in, going back, it’s like... this kind of... pilgrimage kind of thing.’ (male, age 35-40, NL)

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Education/employment marriage› Arranged marriage› Household + employment/education

paths› Household + migration paths

‘Well, Indian moms, they have this attitude of… pushing their… boy-child as soon as he’s settled, his firmed with his job, get married! So that translated to me as well.’ (male, age 25-29, NL)

‘My aim is to first… finish my PhD because it’s very hard for me to… focus on another person right now. (---) I just don’t want to, you know, ruin both things. Just want to finish my PhD. And then, you know, marriage, relationship can wait.’ (female, age 25-29, NL)

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Employment marriage children› ‘Getting to know each other’› Household + employment/education

paths› Household + return migration paths› Parents’ expectations‘We want to have some good life… first together. So because we haven’t spent good time, at least back home so… Now we will be starting a different phase of life. At least like… three to four years we haven’t planned [children] and… that’s how it matches with almost the time that I plan to return back to India.’ (male, age 25-29, NL)

‘Until I got a job or little after that there wasn’t any pressure [from parents]. For marriage. Once they know “Okay, one thing is over!”, they get paranoid about the other thing. Once I got a job and start up settling, then they thought “What next? What next? Marriage!” So there was an immense pressure to get married soon. But with children, nothing yet. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it comes up tomorrow. I’ve seen that pattern for everything in my family.’ (female, age 25-29, NL)

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Migration policies

› Selection of destination country› Future opportunities› Legal status of spouse

‘The UK had the quickest visa procedure. Otherwise there was no specific intention to come to the UK.’ (male, age 30-34, UK)‘[After obtaining permanent residency] it will be easier for my daughter to come back to UK university without paying huge fees.’(female, age 30-34, UK)

‘If I would have been a bursary [PhD student without knowledge migrant visa]… then I think my wife is not allowed to work. I would have postponed marriage for a couple of years till I complete [PhD] and then I will get a post-doc, till then I would have postponed.’(male, age 25-29, NL)

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ConclusionsLife course alters the purely economically determined migration path:

› Timing Parallel careers (?) Postponement of events

› Linked lives Parents Spouse Social and professional network

› Gender Direction of causality

Social and cultural context

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Thank you for your attention!Questions / comments?

Contact: [email protected]

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|Date 28-06-2011 faculty of spatial sciences population research centre 1 A life course approach to...

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