Hein de Haas: Migration is not that simple

«There is nothing more permanent than a temporary migrant. Make no mistake, a large proportion of migrants are here to stay.» This is what sociologist and migration expert Hein de Haas believes, guest of the interview «Migration is not that simple».

Live from Portugal, in the auditorium of the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the University of Lisbon, one of the most enlightened but also most provocative voices on migration explains that this highly relevant issue is actually neither a phenomenon nor a novelty.

«Migration is an integral part of who we are as human beings and societies», he says, stressing that migratory movements have been happening «for as long as humanity has existed». The difference, he adds, is Europe's place in this chessboard: it has gone from being a starting point (during the age of colonialism or world wars) to being a continent to which citizens from all over the world arrive.

Emphasising that it is impossible to stop this movement of people, the sociologist warns of the hypocrisy of policies that punish migrants instead of those who accept them illegally. «In the United States, the number of employers who are prosecuted each year for employing undocumented migrants is between 10 and 15 a year, with no zeros added», he says.

«If politicians were really serious and really wanted to combat smuggling and illegal immigration, they would punish employers», he explains, adding that the lack of consequences for those who employ them fuels exploitation and abuse.

Dispelling the false narratives on this issue - from the left, which sees immigrants as «victims and refugees», and from the right, which speaks of the threat of those who «arrive to steal jobs» - the expert says that these discourses hide the real problem: the fact that «Western Europe and the US are currently experiencing the biggest labour shortage ever, especially of low-skilled migrants».