Date of Award
5-4-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
International Affairs
Abstract
This study is a comparison of two different regional free trade agreements, NAFTA and the European Union. It analyzes the goals and structure of the respective agreements, the provisions for migration and labor in each agreement, and how these provisions translate to the employment conditions of migrant workers who have immigrated to a more developed nation to gain employment in low-skill jobs. The first group examined is Mexican migrant workers in agriculture and hospitality in the United States post-NAFTA, and the second group is Polish migrant workers in agriculture and hospitality in Britain after the 2004 accession of the EU. While the EU and NAFTA appear to be disparate free trade agreements that account for migration and labor differently, the employment conditions of Polish and Mexican migrant workers are similar. The inadequacy of migration and labor provisions in regional free trade agreements, as well as a lack of foresight in both agreements led to parallels in low-skilled migrants workers’ experiences.
Recommended Citation
Van Dolsen, Hannah, "Cultivating the Dream: Migrant Experiences Under Free Trade Agreements" (2016). International Affairs Senior Theses. 6.
https://creativematter.skidmore.edu/inter_aff_stu_schol/6
Included in
International and Area Studies Commons, International Economics Commons, Political Economy Commons