The Costs of Seeking "Greener Pastures" Abroad

The Costs of Seeking "Greener Pastures" Abroad

When it comes to relocation overseas, some immigrants think of better lives awaiting them in the new country. In fact, asking 10s or even 100s of travelers will show that they dream about their lives of comfort when the issue of migration comes up. The average migrant will be much more attached to the emotions of their impending trips than the realities of the financial requirements associated with it. These beg the questions; what are these fees to take into account? Are all these costs monetary or otherwise? Who are to actually pay these charges? Let’s discuss all these issues in line with a story about a recent student that requires 11 million Naira for an academic semester’s tuition I heard and talked about extensively in this IG Live;

1. Financial Costs: This is the very first set of costs that many immigrants have to deal with if they want to move from their home country to another nation in search of more opportunities. Instances of these include but not limited to the following;

  • Immigration Fees: Application fees for visas, permanent residency, or citizenship can be expensive. For some, legal assistance may also be necessary, adding to the cost.
  • Relocation Expenses: Moving to a new country involves significant costs, including airfare, shipping personal belongings, and finding housing in the destination country.
  • Job and Income Loss: Immigrants often face periods of unemployment or underemployment as they adjust to a new labour market, potentially accepting jobs below their qualifications. 

2. Emotional and Social Costs: It is common amongst immigrants that they fail to measure the impacts of their non-financial costs until of course they arrive in their new destination and find it hard to acclimatize and integrate with their new society and its members. They later see the worth of issues like;

  • Separation from Family and Friends: Immigrants often leave behind close relationships, which can lead to loneliness and a sense of isolation in a new country.
  • Cultural Adjustment: Adapting to a new culture, language, and societal norms can be challenging and stressful.
  • Identity and Belonging: Immigrants may struggle with a sense of identity, balancing their cultural heritage with the need to assimilate into a new culture. 

3. Who Should Pay? This is where many more travelers miss the point as regards to immigration to a new country like Canada, UK, USA, among others especially those who feel a sense of entitlement and irresponsibility towards their own lives abroad. Understand these well;

  • The Immigrants Themselves: In many cases, immigrants bear the brunt of these costs. They often save for years, take loans, or rely on family support to finance their move.
  • Governments: Some argue that the governments of destination countries should help cover these costs, especially if the immigrants are filling labor shortages or contributing to economic growth. Programs that provide financial support, language training, and job placement assistance can ease the transition.
  • Employers: Employers who benefit from hiring skilled immigrants might also share in the costs, perhaps by offering relocation packages, housing assistance, or integration support.  

Though, many feel that while the immigrant often bears most of the costs, there is a shared responsibility between individuals, governments, and employers to ensure that the benefits of immigration are fairly distributed and that the transition is as smooth as possible.  

My Views

Ultimately, I am of the opinion that every immigrant should be willing to take control of their own finances when they decide to migrate, during their traveling process and even after they get to their resident country. Since, they decided to migrate themselves and weren’t forced to leave their home country, it is their sole responsibility to fend for themselves and not feel entitled in their new country. If the government or other stakeholders are to give them anything, just like the immigrants decided themselves to come into the country, so do the government and others have their own full right to decide what works best for them and their citizenry. Expect not to be given handouts; plan well before stepping foot on another man’s land in order not to live, study, work, do business, visit, stay or even die miserably overseas. 

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