Guest workers : enduring questions and policy controversies

Abstract

As Germany marks the 60th anniversary of admitting its first Gastarbeiter (guest workers) from Turkey in 1961, it is important to recognize that guest-worker policies have a long and global history that predates Germany's post-war policies (e.g. Hahamovitch, 2003) and that they are, despite various ‘obituaries’ (e.g. Castles, 1986), still very much alive today. While the terminology and aspects of policy design have evolved over time – from ‘guest-worker programmes’ (e.g. Martin & Teitelbaum, 2001) to ‘temporary labour migration programmes’ (e.g. GCIM, 2005), ‘circular migration programmes’ (e.g. European Migration Network, 2011) and, most recently, ‘international skills partnerships’ (e.g. Clemens, 2015)1 – the fundamental idea of admitting migrant workers on a temporary basis to help address perceived labour and skills shortages has become an enduring feature of the migration policy landscape of the world's rich countries (Ruhs, 2013). This is unlikely to change in the near future, given that permanent labour immigration programmes (that provide migrant workers with permanent residence and work permits on arrival) are typically limited to the most highly skilled workers and have declined in importance in countries where they used to play a large role.