How does a laborer from the Third World get legitimate work abroad?

April 23, 2008 7:53 AM

How does a laborer from the Third World get legitimate work abroad?

I have often seen groups of Chinese and other laborers at airports, in big batches, off to work as a team in foreign lands. One Uzbek guy I met once in a similar deal explained it was all organized by the employer, who specialized in this kind of bulk foreign labor.

I have a guy here in Afghanistan who would really like to get out. I am trying to convince him not to rely on shady cash-up-front offers and other ripoffs. It would be great if I could point him to something legitimate that could help him out.

Any ideas, anyone?

posted by Meatbomb to Work & Money (7 answers total)

In the US, Bush's guest worker program is supposed to let US companies basically import foreign laborers for situations like this. However, the program is controversial and the Southern Poverty Law Center has published a report calling the US program "close to slavery" so while the US program is not totally indentured servitude, in many ways it's the functional equivalent, so I just wanted to note that here. That said, something like this for a not-totally-morally-bankrupt company (if such a thing exists) would be a decent gig and better, I suspect, than other options in Afghanistan.
posted by jessamyn at 7:58 AM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite]

Canada also has lots of manual labor in construction and I think in oil mining/refining and other trades. The skilled worker program includes many trades in which a manual laborer might have experience. Here is a link to the types of jobs (trades are in the 7's, so it is toward the bottom.) http://www.ci.gc.ca/english/work/noc.asp

For more information on temporary work visas for Canada, go here: http://www.ci.gc.ca/english/work/index.asp

(It should be noted that like the US program, this program has also been criticized as a "guest worker" program.)
posted by jhbgirl at 8:29 AM on April 23, 2008

When I was in the Peace Corps, a lot of guys in the area had done this kind of legal migrant work. They were recruited by contractors who put together work crews, did the paperwork, and shipped them out and back in groups. The hard part was getting on a crew -- it paid well enough that men kept their places for many years, and would give their places to sons, nephews, and other relatives, so few spots were available for strangers. With these legitimate programs, there were a few up-front costs (including some bribes), but nothing like the shady ones, which I also saw operating. The shady ones are really hit and miss -- they are all expensive, but some of them actually provide passports, visas, airline tickets, and a job at the other end; others are simple rip-offs that do nothing. I am told (but don't know for a fact) that this is also how it works in Mexico and Central American countries -- it is not an individual applying to the program and traveling alone, but a subcontractor who collects people and sends them out in groups.

So your guy needs to find out a) to what countries does Afghanistan send workers (I'm guessing the Gulf, maybe parts of Europe, maybe the Balkans?), and b) who the contractors are that supply the workers to those programs. The guys I knew said that the contractors checked (mostly by looking at their hands, but also by asking questions) if they really were serious laborers; there is also a basic health screening sometimes. There will probably be a series of what you could call "facilitations" or "bribes" needed to get a place, plus whatever fees are charged. Connections really, really matter -- if your friend has someone in the Afghan government, or someone you know in a major aid organization, who can make some calls on his behalf, he will have a much better chance than some jerk off the street.
posted by Forktine at 8:35 AM on April 23, 2008

Response by poster: Yeah, your answer sort of confirms my prior expectations / fears, Forktine. Sadly we are both just jerks off the street.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:13 AM on April 23, 2008

You know, being from Afghanistan he might be able to apply for relocation as a refugee. Certain governments take refugees, relocate them and help them settle. This is different from political asylum and from economic migration, but could be a real option for him if he meets certain criteria. Try asking the UNHCR in Afghanistan.
posted by micayetoca at 9:59 AM on April 23, 2008

I think Disney Cruise Lines is recruiting for it's laundry and maintainance and garbage people right now. They don't look like they have a recruiter in the Middle East, but check out the jobs- hard work, but alright money, they'll fly you from your home country (at their cost) and give you free, clean room and board during the contract. For the laborer-type jobs, expect to sign a contract for around 8 months. Here's their contract info.
posted by arnicae at 4:47 PM on April 23, 2008

You're Canadian, right? Yes, talk to UNHCR, which is who Foreign Affairs looks to for judgments about who qualifies as a refugee or not. If people from Afghanistan can in fact claim refugee status (it certainly seems like this ought to be true), you may want to look at the refugee sponsorship program, which works on an individual basis (i.e. you) or through groups, which you'd need to look up.

The upside is that being in Canada as a refugee basically lets you work and live here without any big hassle, even while your application is being processed.
posted by blacklite at 2:40 AM on April 24, 2008