{"id":10147,"date":"2017-07-04T12:54:18","date_gmt":"2017-07-04T15:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.amchamchile.cl\/?p=151094"},"modified":"2017-07-19T13:51:14","modified_gmt":"2017-07-19T16:51:14","slug":"el-reto-de-regular-la-migracion","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/amchamchile.cl\/en\/noticia\/el-reto-de-regular-la-migracion\/","title":{"rendered":"[:es]El reto de regular la migraci\u00f3n[:en]The challenge of regulating immigration[:]"},"content":{"rendered":"

[:es]\"\"
\nLa inmigraci\u00f3n a Chile se ha quintuplicado en los \u00faltimos 35 a\u00f1os, pero todav\u00eda es necesario el desarrollo de una legislaci\u00f3n que facilite la inserci\u00f3n de extranjeros en el pa\u00eds, m\u00e1s a\u00fan al considerar su relevante aporte a la econom\u00eda, el consumo y en \u00e1reas especializadas. Actualmente, el gobierno est\u00e1 elaborando una nueva propuesta, a la vez que las empresas se enfrentan al desaf\u00edo de incorporar normas para la contrataci\u00f3n de la fuerza laboral for\u00e1nea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Por Mar\u00eda Akbulyakova<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

No solo los pa\u00edses de Europa est\u00e1n enfrentando olas de inmigrantes que llegan en b\u00fasqueda de protecci\u00f3n y de una vida mejor. En las \u00faltimas d\u00e9cadas, Chile -con su fuerte crecimiento econ\u00f3mico y nuevas oportunidades laborales- se ha convertido en un centro de atracci\u00f3n, sobre todo para la regi\u00f3n latinoamericana. Y mientras que las autoridades est\u00e1n definiendo una nueva pol\u00edtica migratoria, el sector empresarial exige soluciones urgentes para abordar las oportunidades laborales que esta representa.<\/p>\n

Entre los a\u00f1os 1982 y 2015, seg\u00fan la encuesta Casen, la cifra de inmigrantes residentes en el pa\u00eds se quintuplic\u00f3, llegando desde 83 mil a 465 mil personas. Es m\u00e1s, Ricardo Sandoval, jefe nacional del Departamento de Extranjer\u00eda y Migraci\u00f3n del Ministerio del Interior y Seguridad P\u00fablica, asegura que el reciente Censo -cuyos resultados se publicar\u00e1n en 2018-, elevar\u00e1 el n\u00famero hasta 600-700 mil, ya que incluir\u00e1 a los extranjeros con permanencia temporal.<\/p>\n

A la vez, cerca de la mitad de los for\u00e1neos que actualmente residen en territorio nacional llegaron despu\u00e9s de 2010. Mientras tanto, Chile todav\u00eda se rige por el Decreto Ley\u00a0N\u00ba 1.094 de Extranjer\u00eda del a\u00f1o 1975 que \u201cestructura la relaci\u00f3n con inmigraci\u00f3n en la l\u00f3gica de amenaza y control que termina precarizando las condiciones de integraci\u00f3n para la poblaci\u00f3n extranjera\u201d, afirma Sandoval.<\/p>\n

Y eso que Chile, como cualquier estado e incluso m\u00e1s, necesita inmigrantes para el desarrollo econ\u00f3mico, demogr\u00e1fico y cultural: todav\u00eda muy por debajo del promedio mundial, ya que los extranjeros representan apenas 2,7% de la poblaci\u00f3n, comparado con el 5,1% de Argentina y el promedio de 11,3% en los pa\u00edses desarrollados, seg\u00fan la ONU.<\/p>\n

Extranjeros, \u00bfqui\u00e9nes son?
\n<\/strong>
\nLa inmigraci\u00f3n en el pa\u00eds tiene un fuerte componente sudamericano, con Per\u00fa (30%), Colombia (13,6%), Argentina (12%) y Bolivia (10%) encabezando la lista. Sin embargo, en los \u00faltimos a\u00f1os ha aumentado significativamente el flujo de extranjeros desde Centroam\u00e9rica (Hait\u00ed, Rep\u00fablica Dominicana, Cuba) y Venezuela.<\/p>\n

La mayor\u00eda de los inmigrantes predeciblemente vienen aqu\u00ed por motivos laborales, con m\u00e1s de 60% en edad de entre 20 y 50 a\u00f1os. Y les va bien: tienen un promedio m\u00e1s alto que los chilenos en ocupaci\u00f3n (72,4% comparado con 53,4%) y sueldo ($585.000 versus $456.000). Sin embargo, tanto los recien llegados como las empresas chilenas se encuentran con trabas en su contrataci\u00f3n, como visas con limitantes, cuotas para la inserci\u00f3n y problemas con reconocimiento del t\u00edtulo profesional.<\/p>\n

Legislaci\u00f3n en curso<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

As\u00ed, la visa sujeta a contrato -la \u00fanica laboral hasta hace poco- pone recargos extra al empleador, exigi\u00e9ndole a pagar el pasaje de vuelta, y limita el tiempo de visa a la vigencia del contrato.<\/p>\n

En 2013, el entonces presidente Sebasti\u00e1n Pi\u00f1era present\u00f3 al Congreso un proyecto de ley de migraciones que ampliaba la variedad de visas, pero con la llegada del nuevo gobierno \u00e9ste qued\u00f3 congelado y la administraci\u00f3n se comprometi\u00f3 a presentar su propio documento, el que qued\u00f3 agendado para principios de este a\u00f1o. Sin embargo, el documento todav\u00eda est\u00e1 en \u201cevaluaci\u00f3n financiera\u201d, se\u00f1alaron en el Ministerio del Interior, sin revelar m\u00e1s detalles. En su reciente cuenta p\u00fablica, la presidenta Bachelet posterg\u00f3 la fecha para el segundo semestre del 2017.<\/p>\n

Para aliviar la situaci\u00f3n laboral, en el a\u00f1o 2015 el gobierno introdujo una visa temporaria por motivos laborales, que no tiene las limitaciones de la sujeta a contrato. \u201cHemos hecho lo que llamamos el \u00b4mientras tanto\u00b4. Es decir, mientras no est\u00e1 la ley, hacemos una serie de medidas administrativas, visa temporaria por motivos laborales, de uni\u00f3n civil, modificaciones en tema de acceso a la vivienda, salud y educaci\u00f3n, justicia\u201d, explica Sandoval.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Voces cr\u00edticas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A pesar de los cambios, ahora Chile no cumple la Convenci\u00f3n Internacional sobre la Protecci\u00f3n de Derechos de Todos los Trabajadores Migratorios y de Sus Familiares que suscribi\u00f3 en 2005, afirma Tatiana Albuja, fundadora del Movimiento de Acci\u00f3n Migrante. Aparte de fijar la igualdad de derechos y deberes de los trabajadores nacionales y extranjeros, el acuerdo establece ocho categor\u00edas de visas laborales, como del trabajador por cuenta propia, por temporada, fronterizo y por contrato de prestaci\u00f3n de servicios, entre otros.<\/p>\n

El sector de comercio y servicios es donde m\u00e1s se desempe\u00f1an los inmigrantes: las tiendas, hoteles y restaurantes emplean a un tercio de los residentes extranjeros, 58 mil personas, comenta Manuel Melero, presidente de la C\u00e1mara Nacional de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo de Chile. La ley actual \u201cclaramente no est\u00e1 dando cuenta de las complejidades ni de la envergadura que contempla el proceso migratorio que estamos viviendo como pa\u00eds\u201d, asegura.<\/p>\n

El tema resulta particularmente importante tambi\u00e9n para el sector de la agricultura -uno de los m\u00e1s populares entre los migrantes-, que tiene gran cantidad de trabajos de corto tiempo. Es necesario \u201cpara temporeros de agricultura tener alg\u00fan sistema de visa de trabajo por un tiempo definido (como en Israel, Nueva Zelanda)\u201d, afirma Ricardo Arizt\u00eda, presidente de la Sociedad Nacional de Agricultura. Ahora el contrato que se hace es por faena (de 20-30 d\u00edas) o por un per\u00edodo determinado, complicando la obtenci\u00f3n de la visa.<\/p>\n

Mientras tanto, con la variedad de estas normas no basta. \u201cAhora hay 90 d\u00edas para encontrar el trabajo, y siendo turista uno no puede trabajar. No entienden el c\u00edrculo vicioso que se genera: si quieres trabajar, mu\u00e9strame tu carnet \u2013 si me hace un contrato, podr\u00e9 solicitarlo. Eso genera un vac\u00edo enorme\u201d, explica V\u00edctor Hugo Lagos, responsable del programa de atenci\u00f3n jur\u00eddica del Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, la organizaci\u00f3n que ayuda extranjeros a regularizar su situaci\u00f3n en el pa\u00eds y a encontrar trabajo. Una posible soluci\u00f3n puede ser un permiso laboral amplio que no sea condicionado a un contrato o una promesa de este, como exige la ley actualmente, agrega el experto.<\/p>\n

\u00bfCuotar o no cuotar?
\n<\/strong>
\nMientras tanto, para el sector empresarial el mayor problema de la legislaci\u00f3n existente es la cuota de 15% de mano de obra inmigrante permitida para contratar por el C\u00f3digo de Trabajo. \u00c9sta tiene varias excepciones (compa\u00f1\u00edas de menos de 25 trabajadores, extranjeros-c\u00f3nyuges de chilenos y profesionales t\u00e9cnicos, entre otras) que hacen que, seg\u00fan el jefe de Extranjer\u00eda, \u201cpr\u00e1cticamente no funcione\u201d. Su cambio, adelanta, no fue previsto en la propuesta t\u00e9cnica que el Departamento mand\u00f3 al Ministerio del Interior para la elaboraci\u00f3n del proyecto, pero ser\u00e1 un tema de discusi\u00f3n en el Congreso. As\u00ed, por ejemplo, podr\u00eda incorporarse en el reglamento de la nueva ley.<\/p>\n

Sin embargo, el sector empresarial tiene una opini\u00f3n distinta respecto de su importancia. A pesar de que el porcentaje total de inmigrantes en la fuerza de trabajo est\u00e1 por debajo de 3%, algunos sectores con fuerte presencia de inmigrantes -como construcci\u00f3n, agricultura y comercio- consideran 15% como un obst\u00e1culo para su desarrollo.<\/p>\n

Agricultura, por ejemplo, usa el sistema de contratistas para poder cumplir con la cuota. \u201cSon personas que andan con un grupo de trabajadores y ofrecen un servicio de labores o faenas determinado. El servicio lo hace el contratista y no es nuestra obligaci\u00f3n como empleadores exigir que se cumplan este 15%, a pesar de que ahora la mayor\u00eda lo cumple\u201d, afirma Arizt\u00eda.<\/p>\n

En el sector de construcci\u00f3n -donde trabajan m\u00e1s de 11% de inmigrantes residentes en Chile- su tasa en la fuerza laboral es de 3,5%, se\u00f1ala el gerente de estudios de la C\u00e1mara Chilena de la Construcci\u00f3n, Javier Hurtado. Sin embargo, admite que algunas empresas ya han llegado al l\u00edmite. \u201c<\/strong>La cuota de 15% de migrantes es bastante absurda, porque si uno deja entrar al pa\u00eds a una persona que est\u00e1 buscando trabajo, no tiene ning\u00fan sentido limitarlo despu\u00e9s para hacerlo\u201d, afirma.<\/p>\n

Adem\u00e1s, favorece la informalidad. A pesar de ser baja (16%), seg\u00fan la Direcci\u00f3n de Trabajo, las denuncias por los extranjeros por vulnerar la normativa laboral han pasado de un poco m\u00e1s de 1.000 en 2014 a m\u00e1s de 900 en lo que va del 2017.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Importancia para el mercado laboral
\n<\/strong>
\nEl aporte de inmigraci\u00f3n para el mercado laboral chileno puede ser crucial en los a\u00f1os que vienen. Seg\u00fan un estudio de la fundaci\u00f3n Avanza Chile, solo 35% de los cupos laborales que se van a liberar en los pr\u00f3ximos 10 a\u00f1os van a alcanzar a ser cubiertos por la mano de obra nacional, la pregunta es \u201c\u00bfqui\u00e9n va a trabajar en el resto para poder financiar el fisco?\u201d, se pregunta el jefe de Extranjer\u00eda.<\/p>\n

Seg\u00fan Manuel Agosin, decano de la Facultad de Econom\u00eda y Negocios de la Universidad de Chile, ahora \u201chay escases de la mano de obra en algunas tareas que los chilenos ya no quieren hacer, de baja calificaci\u00f3n. Uno lo ve en centros comerciales, supermercados, la gente que limpia son haitianos porque los chilenos no est\u00e1n disponibles\u201d, admite.<\/p>\n

En tanto, los inmigrantes residentes cuentan con un promedio m\u00e1s alto de estudios que un chileno (12,6 a\u00f1os comparado con 11 a\u00f1os). La complicaci\u00f3n que enfrentan es la revalidaci\u00f3n del t\u00edtulo profesional: mientras que los venezolanos lo logran con facilidad, los haitianos \u2013muchos de los cuales tienen educaci\u00f3n superior- no pueden hacerlo por falta de un acuerdo bilateral, explica Lagos. Adem\u00e1s, la \u00fanica instituci\u00f3n que se encarga del proceso es la Universidad de Chile que tiene capacidades limitadas para el gran flujo de extranjeros que llega al pa\u00eds.<\/p>\n

Seg\u00fan un estudio de acad\u00e9micos de la Universidad Cat\u00f3lica (entre 580 extranjeros), solo 13% de los migrantes lograron convalidar sus t\u00edtulos, por lo cual menos de 30% trabajan en su rubro. \u201cHay mucho espacio para trabajadores calificados, en educaci\u00f3n y necesitamos m\u00e1s m\u00e9dicos\u201d, advierte Agosin. \u201cChile tiene un d\u00e9ficit de capital humano vinculado a las tecnolog\u00edas de informaci\u00f3n y conocimiento de 4.000 personas al a\u00f1o\u201d, agrega Sandoval.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Aporte demogr\u00e1fico
\n<\/strong>
\nLos inmigrantes pueden apoyar a nuestro pa\u00eds no solo en t\u00e9rminos laborales. Seg\u00fan la Comisi\u00f3n Econ\u00f3mica para Am\u00e9rica Latina y el Caribe (CELADE), para el a\u00f1o 2050 Chile ser\u00e1 el segundo pa\u00eds de la regi\u00f3n con mayor porcentaje de la poblaci\u00f3n igual o mayor a los 60 a\u00f1os (30,6%) tras Cuba (38,4%) y el primero en expectativa de vida, que alcanzar\u00eda 87,9 a\u00f1os. Dicho resultado dejar\u00e1 a nuestro pa\u00eds en el club de \u201ceconom\u00edas envejecidas\u201d, cuando los recursos econ\u00f3micos consumidos por las personas mayores exceder\u00e1n los consumidos por los ni\u00f1os y j\u00f3venes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdem\u00e1s, un alto porcentaje de personas que se est\u00e1n jubilando lo est\u00e1n haciendo con pensiones inferiores al ingreso m\u00ednimo, eso significa que nuestra tasa de dependencia, es decir, la cantidad de personas que van a depender del fisco para poder cumplir las necesidades b\u00e1sicas, va a ser cada vez mayor\u201d, advierte Sandoval.<\/p>\n

Mientras tanto, las mujeres chilenas tienen cada vez menos hijos: en 2014, seg\u00fan el Banco Mundial, la tasa de natalidad en Chile fue de 1,76 hijos por mujer comparado con 5,1 en 1960. Por lo contrario, sus compatriotas de Per\u00fa y Bolivia, por ejemplo, superan la cifra de 2,1, necesaria para la reproducci\u00f3n de la poblaci\u00f3n, con 2,5 y 2,9 respectivamente.
\n\u201cEso es el punto, Chile necesita migraci\u00f3n, no es solo el tema de cupos de trabajo, sino que la econom\u00eda demanda consumo. Si cada vez somos menos, \u00bfqui\u00e9n va a consumir en este pa\u00eds?\u201d, pregunta Sandoval.<\/p>\n

Hay amplio consenso en que el pa\u00eds requiere mano de obra calificada o no calificada para suplir la escasez de industrias como salud, educaci\u00f3n y tecnolog\u00eda, y que necesita ampliar el volumen de personas j\u00f3venes para contrarrestar los efectos del envejecimiento de la poblaci\u00f3n. El reto es avanzar en una ley de migraci\u00f3n, acorde a los tiempos, y que resguarde los derechos de esta nueva ciudadan\u00eda, cada vez m\u00e1s creciente.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Recuadro:\u00a0<\/strong>Apoyo a los trabajadores<\/strong><\/p>\n

La gerente de recursos humanos de Walmart Chile, M\u00f3nica Tobar, se\u00f1ala que la empresa cuenta con 1.820 trabajadores de 38 nacionalidades distintas. Por ello, en 2009 crearon el \u00e1rea de Movilidad Global que entrega soporte a los inmigrantes en diversos temas. Por ejemplo, en la realizaci\u00f3n de tr\u00e1mites de residencia e inserci\u00f3n social y en la inscripci\u00f3n de sus hijos en el colegio. \u201cTambi\u00e9n nos preocupa la barrera idiom\u00e1tica, por ejemplo, en el caso de los haitianos a los que apoyamos generando nexos con instituciones que les imparten clases de espa\u00f1ol. Adem\u00e1s, estamos impulsando que los contratos est\u00e9n escritos en espa\u00f1ol y franc\u00e9s, para que entiendan claramente sus derechos y deberes\u201d, afirma Tobar. La ejecutiva agrega que uno de los pilares de Walmart en el mundo es la diversidad y la inclusi\u00f3n, y que Chile no es la excepci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n

\u201cContar con equipos diversos y un ambiente de trabajo inclusivo es una ventaja competitiva, ya que nos permite ser m\u00e1s creativos\u201d, afirma.[:en]\"\"
\nImmigration to Chile has increased fivefold over the last 35 years. Nevertheless, suitable legislation that facilitates the integration of migrant arrivals into Chilean society remains pending, especially considering the significant contribution of immigrants to the national economy, consumption and a wide range of other areas. Currently, the government is drafting a new immigration bill, while businesses are facing the challenge of incorporating appropriate standards related to the recruitment of foreign employees.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

By Mar\u00eda Akbulyakova<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It is not only European nations that are currently receiving large numbers of migrants in search of safety and a better quality of life. In recent decades, Chile, with its strong economic growth and new possibilities in the labor market, has become a highly attractive migrant destination, particularly within the Latin American region. And while authorities are devising a new immigration policy, the business sector is demanding urgent solutions in response to the employment opportunities arising as a result of this trend.<\/p>\n

Between 1982 and 2015, the nationwide socioeconomic CASEN survey shows that the number of immigrants resident in Chile has risen fivefold, from 83,000 to 465,000. Moreover, Ricardo Sandoval, the National Head of the Department of Immigration and Migration, which falls under the remit of the Ministry of the Interior, explains that following the national census of April 2017 this figure will rise to between 600,000 and 700,000, largely because the overall number will also include non-Chileans with temporary-residence status. The results of the census will be published in 2018.<\/p>\n

Similarly, almost half of all foreign residents in Chile arrived after 2010. To date, Legal Decree 1,094, which was passed in 1975 to regulate immigration matters, remains in force. Sandoval explains that this Decree \u201cstructures the relationship with immigration under the logic of threat and control, which ends up making the conditions for integrating non-Chileans into society highly precarious\u201d.<\/p>\n

Chile, just like a number of other countries, and perhaps even more so, needs immigration in order to secure its economic, demographic and cultural development. Levels of immigration in the country are far below the global average, representing just 2.7% of the general population. This compares to 5.1% in Argentina and an average of 11.3% in developed countries, according to the United Nations.<\/p>\n

The foreign arrivals: where do they come from exactly?
\n<\/strong>
\nImmigration to Chile is distinctly South American in composition, with Peru (30%), Colombia (13.6%), Argentina (12%) and Bolivia (10%) topping the list of countries of origin. However, in recent years the arrival of foreigners from Central America (Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba) as well as Venezuela has increased significantly.<\/p>\n

The majority of migrants are arriving in search of employment opportunities, with almost 60% aged between 20 and 50 years old. And their efforts are paying off: they enjoy a higher employment rate than Chileans (72.4% compared to 53.4%) and a higher average monthly wage (CLP$585,000 versus CLP$456,000). However, both recent migrant arrivals as well as Chilean businesses are facing distinct obstacles in terms of job recruitment, largely due to the granting of limited visas, workplace quotas and problems related to degree recognition.<\/p>\n

Draft legislation in progress<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Accordingly, the \u2018visa subject to a contract\u2019, which was the only available work visa until recently, places additional responsibilities on the employer, including having to pay for the return ticket of the migrant and limiting the visa to the duration of the employment contract.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2013, then-president Sebasti\u00e1n Pi\u00f1era introduced a migration bill to Congress which sought to expand the variety of visas available. However, following the change of government in 2014, the progress of this bill stalled and the incumbent administration has committed to introducing its own draft legislation.<\/p>\n

The bill currently being devised was originally planned for the beginning of 2017. However, the Ministry of Interior has disclosed that this bill remains in the \u201cfinancial evaluation\u201d stage, without having provided any further information. During her recent public address to the nation, President Bachelet postponed the date on which this bill will be submitted to Congress until the second half of the year.<\/p>\n

To ease the labor situation, in 2015 the government introduced a new type of temporary work visa which is not subject to conditions related to an employment contract. \u201cWe have created a kind of \u2018stopgap\u2019 solution\u201d, explains Sandoval. \u201cWhile there is no (new) legislation in place, we have taken a series of administrative measures such as a temporary work visa, a civil union, modifications to access to housing, health and education, justice, and so on\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Critical voices<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite such modifications, Chile is currently in noncompliance with the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, which it ratified in 2005, says Tatiana Albuja, founder of the Movimiento de Acci\u00f3n Migrante (Migrant Action Movement). In addition to enshrining the equality of rights and duties of national and migrant workers, the Convention also establishes eight categories of work visa, including for self-employment, seasonal labor, frontier workers and project-tied work positions, among others.<\/p>\n

In Chile, the trade and services sector is that in which the largest number of migrant workers are employed. As Manuel Melero, President of the Chilean National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism notes, stores, hotels and restaurants employ approximately 58,000 migrant workers. More generally, he adds that current legislation \u201cis clearly not accounting for the complexities or magnitude of the migration process underway in Chile\u201d.<\/p>\n

This issue is also particularly significant for the agriculture sector, which is one of the most sought after in terms of migrant jobs and in which there are a large number of short-term posts. It is necessary \u201cfor temporary agricultural workers to have some kind of work visa for a specific period of time (as happens in places such as Israel and New Zealand)\u201d, argues Ricardo Arizt\u00eda, President of the National Agriculture Society. At present, employees are provided with a short-term contract (of 20 to 30 days) or another pre-determined period, which makes it difficult for them to obtain a visa.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, the variety of the regulations in play continues to grow. \u201cNow, a migrant has 90 days to find a job because they are not permitted to work on a tourist visa. Nobody fully grasps the vicious circle that this creates: if a migrant wants to work they have to show their Chilean ID card, but in order to apply for an ID card, they need a contract from an employer. This creates a large vacuum\u201d, says V\u00edctor Hugo Lagos, who is responsible for the legal assistance program at the Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes, an organization which assists foreigners gain the required authorization to live and work in Chile. One possible solution, he adds, would be to grant more general work visas that are not tied solely to one contract or promise thereof, as is the current situation.<\/p>\n

Quotas
\n<\/strong>
\nRegarding the business sector, one of the major challenges of existing legislation is the quota system that stipulates that only a maximum of 15% of the workforce is allowed to be of migrant, as framed under the national Labor Code. There are a number of exceptions to this rule, including companies with less than 25 employees, migrant spouses of Chileans and technical professionals, among others, which according to Ricardo Sandoval means the legislation \u201cdoes not work in reality\u201d. The Head of the Department of Immigration and Migration explains that no change to this quota was included in the technical proposal submitted by the agency to the Ministry of Interior in order to draft the bill. However, he believes that it will form part of discussions in Congress and, therefore, could be included within the new legislation.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, the business sector is certain of the important role played by this quota. Although the overall total rate of migrant labor in the Chilean workforce is below 3%, certain sectors with a strong contingent of migrant labor, such as construction, agriculture and commerce, contend that the 15% quota acts as a serious obstacle to their further development.<\/p>\n

Agriculture, for example, utilizes a system of contractors in order to meet this quota. \u201cThe contractors are individuals who accompany a group of workers and offer specific work-related services. The service is provided by the contractor and we, as employers, are not obligated to demand that the 15% is met, despite the fact that nowadays it nearly always is\u201d, states Arizt\u00eda.<\/p>\n

In the construction sector, which employs over 11% of all migrants resident in Chile, the overall rate of migrant labor is 3.5%, according to Javier Hurtado, Director of Research at the Chilean Chamber of Construction. However, he admits that certain businesses have reached the limit. \u201cThe migrant quota of 15% is absurd because if a person looking for work is allowed to enter the country, there is no reason to subsequently limit them in their ability to do so\u201d, he stresses.<\/p>\n

Moreover, this condition favors informality in the labor market. Despite being low (16%), according to the Direction of Labor, migrant reports of violations of employment regulation has gone from just over 1,000 in 2014 to more than 900 in just the first half of 2017.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A significant role in the labor market<\/strong>
\nThe contribution of immigration to the Chilean labor market is likely to be crucial over the coming years. According to a study compiled by the Avanza Chile foundation, only 35% of all employment posts due to emerge over the next decade will be filled by Chilean manual labor. Therefore, the question according to Ricardo Sandoval is, \u201cwho is going to come and fill the rest of these positions to be able to finance the State\u2019s tax revenue?\u201d<\/p>\n

Manuel Agosin, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Universidad de Chile, believes \u201cthere is a shortage in the workforce in certain areas of work that Chileans no longer want to do, that are unskilled in nature. You can see it in places like shopping centers and supermarkets, where the cleaners are Haitian because Chileans are now unavailable for such work\u201d.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, migrants resident in Chile have, on average, a higher education level than locals: 12.6 years of study for the former compared to 11 for the latter. However, the complication in this regard relates to the process of validating their professional qualifications in Chile. Whereas this process is straightforward for Venezuelans, it is more complex for Haitians, many of whom have a college degree. This is because there is no bilateral treaty between Chile and Haiti which governs this particular aspect, explains V\u00edctor Hugo Lagos. In addition, the sole institution with the powers to oversee this validation process is the Universidad de Chile, which has a limited ability to respond to the increasing numbers of migrants entering the country.<\/p>\n

According to research conducted by a group of academics from the Universidad Cat\u00f3lica, from a sample of 580 foreign migrants only 13% were able to validate their degrees, meaning that fewer than 30% work in their specialist area. \u201cThere is ample space for qualified workers, in education for example, and we need more doctors\u201d warns Manuel Agosin. Additionally, \u201cChile is facing a human capital deficit of 4,000 people a year in terms of information technology and related knowledge\u201d, adds Ricardo Sandoval.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The demographic contribution
\n<\/strong>
\nForeign migrants offer Chile far more than simply employment. According to the United Nations\u2019 Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), by 2050 Chile will have the highest rate of persons aged 60 or over (30.6%) in the region, second only to Cuba (38.4%), as well as the highest life expectancy, which is projected to reach 87.9 years old. These statistics will place Chile in the club of \u2018aging economies\u2019, which means that national economic resources are consumed at a greater rate by older persons than by children and younger persons.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, a high percentage of people retiring (in the country) are doing so with pensions lower than the minimum wage. This means that Chile\u2019s dependency rate, which is the number of persons who will be dependent on the government to be able to fulfil their basic needs, will increase over time\u201d, warns Sandoval.<\/p>\n

Moreover, Chilean women are having increasingly fewer children: in 2014, the World Bank recorded the birth rate in Chile at 1.76 children per woman, compared to 5.1 in 1960. On the contrary, the birth rates in the neighboring countries of Peru and Bolivia are 2.5 and 2.9, respectively. Both rates exceed the figure of 2.1 which is widely accepted as necessary for successful population reproduction.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is the key point: Chile needs migration. It is not only about jobs but also that the economy demands consumption. If the population simply shrinks, who will do the consuming in the country?\u201d asks Sandoval.<\/p>\n

There is widespread consensus that Chile requires skilled and unskilled labor to fill the shortage of personnel in industries such as health, education and technology, and that there needs to be an increase in the number of young persons to counter the effects of an aging population. The challenge is to make progress towards migration legislation, according to Chile`s actual needs, and that safeguards the rights of the inmigrants in the country, witch number increases daily.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Text Box: Worker support<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

M\u00f3nica Tobar, Vice President of Human Resources at Walmart Chile, explains that the company employs 1,820 workers from 38 different nationalities. Because of this international composition, the Global Mobility department was created in 2009 to provide support to migrants across numerous areas, for example, in the process of applying for residency, searching for employment and enrolling their children in local schools. \u201cWe also focus on the language barrier, such as assisting Haitians by building links with institutions that provide them with Spanish classes. We are also pushing for our contracts to be written in Spanish and French in order to facilitate clear understanding of all rights and responsibilities\u201d, states Tobar.<\/p>\n

She adds that one of the worldwide key pillars of Walmart, is to promote diversity and inclusion, and Chile is no exception in this regard. \u201cHaving diverse work teams and an inclusive working environment is a competitive advantage as it helps us to be far more creative\u201d, she concludes.[:]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[:es] La inmigraci\u00f3n a Chile se ha quintuplicado en los \u00faltimos 35 a\u00f1os, pero todav\u00eda es necesario el desarrollo de una legislaci\u00f3n que facilite la inserci\u00f3n de extranjeros en el pa\u00eds, m\u00e1s a\u00fan al considerar su relevante aporte a la econom\u00eda, el consumo y en \u00e1reas especializadas. Actualmente, el gobierno est\u00e1 elaborando una nueva propuesta, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","news_tax":[],"user_type":[],"class_list":["post-10147","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n[:es]El reto de regular la migraci\u00f3n[:en]The challenge of regulating immigration[:] - AmCham Chile<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/amchamchile.cl\/noticia\/el-reto-de-regular-la-migracion\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"[:es]El reto de regular la migraci\u00f3n[:en]The challenge of regulating immigration[:] - AmCham Chile\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[:es] La inmigraci\u00f3n a Chile se ha quintuplicado en los \u00faltimos 35 a\u00f1os, pero todav\u00eda es necesario el desarrollo de una legislaci\u00f3n que facilite la inserci\u00f3n de extranjeros en el pa\u00eds, m\u00e1s a\u00fan al considerar su relevante aporte a la econom\u00eda, el consumo y en \u00e1reas especializadas. 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