University:
University of Wyoming
Course:
INST1101 | First-Year Seminar
Academic year:

2023
Views:

371

Pages:

2
Author:

A Brown

Allison Brown FYS: Global Issues Professor Roberts 10/18/19 The Economic Benefits of Receiving Refugees After experiencing Ai WeiWei’s documentary, Human Flow, I found myself wrapped up in the stories of those refugees and, outraged at the lack of care sometimes exhibited by European nations at their borders. In this blog, I will address the main concerns individuals have about welcoming refugees into their countries and refute it with external evidence that reinforces the economic benefit refugees have on a receiving nation. A study was recently conducted out the Paris School of Economics that contained the following outcome, “ . . . the overall strength and sustainability of the country’s economy improves and unemployment rates drop. Its conclusions contradict the idea that refugees place an excessive financial burden on a country by sucking up public resources” (Maxmen 2018). Economically time and time again, economists and government research has determined that refugees have positive impacts on their host countries. They fill the positions needed by the country and are willing to work hard for their chance. In WeiWei’s documentary, he highlights the individuals who are eager to work hard for the country that offers them asylum. Germany is the perfect example of what happens when a nation is willing to open their borders for refugees. Germany opened their borders to refugees four years ago and since have perfected how to help them integrate into society. A popular program is the apprenticeship. This allows German citizens to hire/mentor refugees and train them in crafts and specialties. The program has helped thousands find a job and after the program is over they are able to start their own businesses, improving the economy, or join the workforce in that field, again, improving Germany’s economy. Four years after Germany’s Prime Minister Angela Merkel opened the borders the results are clear: “approximately 1.5 million people who have arrived since remain out of the labor force” (Witte, Beck 2019). Many individuals assume that refugees are bad for the economy and will even take their jobs. However, it has been proven through multiple studies and a myriad of countries that opening borders has a significant positive increase on one’s economic state. Refugees don’t only add human capital and firms into the market, but they exemplify motivation and dedication to any sector of the country. Maxmen, Amy. “Migrants and Refugees Are Good for Economies.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 20 June 2018, www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05507-0 Griff Witte, Luisa Beck. “Angela Merkel Welcomed Refugees to Germany. They're there to Help the Economy.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 May 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/angela-merkel-welcomed-refugees-to-germany-theyrestarting-to-help-the-economy/2019/05/03/4bafa36e-6b60-11e9-bbe7-1c798fb80536_story.html