Abstract
Migrant workers are considered an economic utility, especially for secondary labour markets such as that of long-term care. The dynamics of migrant workers across the globe are governed by interacting macro, state level, and micro, personal level, factors. On the macro level immigration policies, historical and current political and economic links between countries play a crucial part in such dynamics. On an individual level, choices, actions and motivations to migrate and work in certain labour sectors are entangled with and governed by macro level policies. Since 2003, the enlargement of the European Economic Area (EEA) has enabled employers in the UK to freely recruit staff from EEA countries. This article investigates reported individual motivations and the decision making process while accounting for macro factors, specifically ease of labour mobility within the EEA versus a more elaborate process when migrating to work in social care in the UK from outside the EEA. Face to face interviews were conducted with 96 migrant social care and social work staff in six diverse areas of England (2007–2009). The analysis indicates differences in stated motivations to migrate to the UK and to work in the care sector among different groups of migrants, particularly among those from Commonwealth countries, from the EEA, and migrants from other parts of the globe. The findings highlight the importance of taking into account the role of immigration policies and consequently immigration status when investigating the policy framework and delivery of care services for older people.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
A8 includes The Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
References
Alexis O, Vydelingum V (2007) Engaging with a new reality: experiences of overseas minority ethnic nurses in the NHS. J Clin Nurs 16(12):2221–2228
Bettio F, Simonazzi A, Villa P (2006) Change in care regimes and female migration: the ‘care drain’ in the Mediterranean. J Eur Soc Policy 16(3):271–285
Bourgeault I, Atanackovic J, Rashid A, Parpia R (2010) Relations between immigrant care workers and older persons in home and long-term care. Can J Aging 29(1):109–118
Cangiano A, Shutes I, Spencer S, Leeson G (2009) Migrant care workers in ageing societies: research findings in the United Kingdom. COMPAS, University of Oxford, Oxford
Christie A, Kruk E (1998) Choosing to become a social worker: motives, incentives, concerns and disincentives. Soc Work Educ 17(1):21–34
Colombo F, Llena-Nozal A, Mercier J, Tjadens F (2011) Help wanted? Providing and paying for long-term care. OECD, Paris. http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/help-wanted_9789264097759-en. Accessed 16 Sep 2012
Cunliffe A, Bahiraey D (2006) Resettled refugees: refugees, transitions and employment prospects in Plymouth and the South West UK. Refug Surv Q 25(2):123–134
Department of Health (2009) Working to put people first: the Strategy for the adult social care workforce in England. Department of Health, London
Fernandez J, Forder J, Trukeschitz B, Rokosova M, McDaid D (2009) How can European states design efficient, equitable and sustainable funding systems for long-term care projects for older people?. World Health Organization, Copenhagen
Fine MD, Mitchell A (2007) Immigration and the aged care workforce in Australia: meeting the deficit. Aust J Ageing 26(4):157–161
Francis J, Netten A (2003) Home care workers: careers, commitments and motivations, PSSRU Discussion Paper 2053. University of Kent, Canterbury. Available from: http://www.pssru.ac.uk/pdf/dp2053.pdf. Accessed 16 Sep 2012
Humphries N, Brugha R, McGee H (2009) ‘I won’t be staying here for long’: a qualitative study on the retention of migrant nurses in Ireland. Hum Resour Health 7(1):68–79
Hussein S, Stevens M, Manthorpe J (2010a) International social care workers in England: profile, motivations, experiences and future expectations, Final report. Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King’s College, London
Hussein S, Manthorpe J, Stevens M (2010b) People in places: a qualitative exploration of recruitment agencies’ perspectives on the employment of international social workers in the UK. Br J Soc Work 40(3):1000–1016
Hussein S, Stevens M, Manthorpe J (2011a) What drives the recruitment of migrant workers to work in social care in England? Soc Policy Soc 10(3):285–298
Hussein S, Manthorpe J, Stevens M (2011b) Social care as first work experience in England: a secondary analysis of the profile of a national sample of migrant workers. Health Soc Care Community 19(1):89–97
Hussein S (2011a) Migrant workers in long-term care: evidence from England on trends, pay and profile. Social Care Workforce Periodical, Issue 12 Mar 2011. King’s College London, London. ISSN 2047-9638. http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/sshm/scwru/pubs/periodical/issues/scwp12.pdf. Accessed 19 Sep 2012
Hussein S (2011b) Men in the English care sector. Social Care Workforce Periodical, Issue 14 Sep 2011. King’s College London, London. ISSN 2047-9638. http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/sshm/scwru/pubs/periodical/issues/scwp14.pdf. Accessed 26 Sep 2012
Jones B (2012) Innovation and human resources: migration policies and employment protection policies: compendium of evidence on the effectiveness of innovation policy intervention. University of Manchester, Manchester. Available from: http://www.innovation-policy.org.uk/share/NESTA-Compendium_HR_20120515.pdf. Accessed 25 Sep 2012
Larsen J, Allan H, Bryan K, Smith P (2005) Overseas nurses’ motivations for working in the UK: globalisation and life politics. Work Employ Soc 19(2):349–368
Lorenzo FME, Galvez-Tan J, Icamina K, Javier L (2007) Nurse migration from a source country perspective: Philippine country case study. Health Serv Res 42(Supplement 1):1406–1418
Manthorpe J, Hussein S, Charles N, Rapaport P, Stevens M, Nagendran T (2010) Social care stakeholders’ perceptions of the recruitment of international practitioners in the United Kingdom—a qualitative study. Eur J Soc Work 13(3):393–408
Manthorpe J, Hussein S, Stevens M, Moriarty J (2011) User and carer experiences of international social care workers in England: listening to their accounts of choice and control. Aust Soc Work. doi:10.1080/0312407X.2011.597867
Moriarty J (2011) Qualitative methods overview. NIHR School for Social Care Research, London
Moriarty J, Hussein S, Manthorpe J, Stevens M (2012) International social workers in England: factors influencing supply and demand. Int Soc Work 55(2):167–182
Office of National Statistics (2006) Labour force survey. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/SearchRes.asp?term=labour+force+survey. Accessed 12 Sept 2012
Pemberton S, Stevens C (2010) The recruitment and retention of Central and Eastern European migrant workers in the United Kingdom: a panacea or a problem under the new policies of ‘Managed Migration’? Reg Stud 44(9):1289–1300
Portes J, French S (2005) The impact of free movement of workers form central and Eastern Europe on the UK labour market: early evidence, Working Paper 18. Department for Work and Pensions, London
Redfoot DL, Houser AN (2008) The international migration of nurses in long-term care. J Aging Soc Policy 20(2):259–275
Rodriguez N (2004) Workers wanted, employers recruitment of immigrant labor. Work Occup 31(4):453–473
Rubery J, Hebson G, Grimshaw D, Carroll M, Smith L, Marchington L, Ugarte S (2011) The recruitment and retention of a care workforce for older people. University of Manchester, Manchester
Ryan R, Deci EL (2000) Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am Psychol 55(1):68–78
Shutes I (2011) Policy primer: social care for older people and demand for migrant care. Compas, Oxford
Skills for Care & Development (2010) UK sector skills assessment for the social care, children, early years and young people’s workforces. Skills for Care & Development, London
Stake R (1995) The art of case research. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks
Stevens M, Sharpe E, Manthorpe J, Moriarty J, Hussein S, Orme J, Green-Lister P, Cavagnah K, McIntyre G (2012a) Helping others or a rewarding career? Investigating student motivations to train as social workers in England. J Soc Work 12(1):16–36
Stevens M, Hussein S, Manthorpe J (2012b) Experiences of racism and discrimination among migrant care workers in England: findings from a mixed-methods research project. Ethn Racial Stud 25(2):259–280
Walsh K, O’Shea E (2009) The role of migrant care workers in ageing societies: contexts and experiences in Ireland. National University of Ireland, Galway
Walsh T, Wilson G, O’Connor E (2010) Local, European and Global: an exploration of migration patterns of social workers into Ireland. Br J Soc Work 40(6):1978–1995
Woodward C, Abelson J, Tedford S, Hutchison B (2004) What is important to continuity in home care? Perspectives of key stakeholders. Soc Sci Med 58:177–192
Yeates N (2009) Globalizing care economies and migrant workers. Palgrave Macmillan, Aldershot
Acknowledgments
This paper draws on a study funded by the Department of Health Social Care Workforce Initiative. The views presented here are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Health. We are most grateful for the support of the Initiative Co-ordinator, Prof Hazel Qureshi, and thank all participants and data collectors in the study sites.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: H.-W. Wahl.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hussein, S., Stevens, M. & Manthorpe, J. Migrants’ motivations to work in the care sector: experiences from England within the context of EU enlargement. Eur J Ageing 10, 101–109 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-012-0254-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-012-0254-4