Guest workers are foreign-born workers who come to a country for job opportunities, ranging from highly skilled to illegal migrant workers. There is controversy surrounding guest workers, with some supporting specific programs while others oppose all guest workers. Historically, guest workers have moved from less developed to more developed nations. Some are issued permanent residence cards, while others receive temporary visas or work illegally. Concerns about workers’ rights arise, as they are often exploited and treated like slaves. Proponents argue that guest workers can do jobs citizens are unwilling to do, while opponents argue they are used for minimum wages in unsafe conditions.
The term “guest worker” is a euphemism for foreign-born workers who come to a country specifically for its job prospects. They range from highly skilled individuals who are actively recruited to fill positions to illegal migrant workers who work for incredibly low wages in agricultural fields. There is a major controversy surrounding guest workers around the world, as part of a larger discussion about immigration policies. Many people support the creation of specific guest worker programs to regulate their admission and use, while others oppose all guest workers, for various reasons.
People have been seeking their fortunes in other countries for hundreds of years and in some cases guest workers have been actively invited into a nation. The United States, for example, recruited heavily immigrants throughout the 19th century, enticing them with the promise of farms and good jobs in an effort to improve the American economy. Guest workers have historically moved from less developed to more developed nations, taking advantage of perceived opportunities in the places to which they migrate.
In many countries there are different grades of guest workers. For example, some are issued some form of permanent residence card which allows them to live and work in the host country for as long as they wish. Others receive temporary visas that specify they are entering the country to work. Many more are illegal, risking deportation in hopes of raising money to send home or take with them, and work in the low-paying service sector as maids, farmhands and construction workers, regardless of their skill level.
People concerned about workers’ rights find guest workers particularly worrying. Even when they enter a country legally, they are often exploited. In the United States, for example, several cases of human trafficking have been linked to workers who were legally brought into the country on work visas. These legal workers were unaware of their rights and protections under the law, and were essentially treated like slaves by their employers, who threatened to deport them if they protested. Illegal workers are in an even weaker position, often working for minimal pay in dangerous positions.
Proponents of organized guest worker programs argue that these workers can do jobs that a country’s citizens are unwilling to do, and that their skills can be extremely valuable. Opponents disagree, arguing that these workers are being used because they are willing to work in unsafe conditions for minimum wages.
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