The effect of movement of labour to foreign countries on youth unemployment in Uganda

Abstract

This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of movement of labor from Uganda to foreign countries on youth unemployment in Uganda. The study was based on different objectives that included; To find out the relationship between the number of youths moving abroad and rate of youth unemployment in Uganda, To find out relationship between skills acquired abroad and rate of youth unemployment in Uganda, and to find out the effect of wages earned by emigrant workers on the rate of youth unemployment in Uganda. The quantitative study adopted a cross-sectional survey research that enabled explorative assessment of the different study variables that included Number of youths moving abroad, Skills acquired abroad, Wages earned by emigrant workers and rate of youth unemployment). Data was collected using a questionnaire from a sample of 90 former emigrant workers. The analysis of the results indicate a negative correlation between number of youth moving abroad and rate of youth unemployment (r = -0.905) and is significant at 0.01, negative relationship between skills acquired abroad and rate of youth unemployment in Uganda (r = -0.657) and significant at 0.01, negative relationship between wages earned by emigrant workers is negatively correlated with rate of youth unemployment in Uganda (r = -0.857) significant at 0.01 (p=0.00<0.01) showing that the different skills acquired by the youth who work abroad have a very big negative influence in youth unemployment in Uganda. Identifying the nature and extent of the youth unemployment challenge at the country level is a prerequisite to formulating evidence-based and integrated policies and programmatic interventions. With detailed information on the obstacles that are preventing sufficient job creation from absorbing the cohorts of young labour market entrants, governments will be better prepared to design effective policy responses thereby addressing the high levels of unemployment.