“Steve quick question for you - tomorrow you up sticks with family and move to Moscow you sneak into the country and can't speak the language what do you think your job options would be?
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I think it's 2 different arguments. An illegal immigrant is an illegal immigrant regardless of the country and in IMHO they should be rightly evicted. In this case, maybe due to poor education or media hype, even legal immigrants are fleeing due to perceived hostility/problems.
But if I upsticked, moved to somewhere new, had no language skills, then you would do what you had to, to provide for your family. If I could then pick up skills and local language and get a better paid job, then why not. As long as I'm legally allowed to be in the country.
There won't be a shortage of people behind me ready take over my previous job, and for locals, if the work isn't deemed economically viable, and there is no opportunity to improve skills, then the reality is, they become economic migrants in search of oportunities.
But the cynical side of me thinks its easier to moan and lay the blame on immigrant workers, rather than make the most and take advantage of whatever local opportunities there are. I'd sooner be in work earning a few pennies more than a state hand out, where I stand the chance of self improvement, working in a social environment, then sat at home in a self imposed exile.
I know thats pretty broad and sweeping, and plenty of people are no doubt genuinely stuck in this situation, but there will be a sizeable chunk that have the potential to move forward. It goes down to work ethic, outllook, personality.
Someone said to me a long time ago there are only 2 types of people, winners and losers. Everyone decides for themselves. Winning can be as straight forward as achieving what might seem to others to be an insignificant goal. Putting bread on the table each week is a win.