Editorial: the horrible heartbeat-accelerating word

Photo: parnupostimees.ee

In issues of workforce, Estonia has been guided by the principle: better to export work than to import workers. With those willing to do blue-collar stuff scarce, wiser to place part of the work outside of Estonia, leaving the best and better paid jobs here. To get the cheaper work done, hands would be found abroad. Thence the understanding what kinds of workers Estonian state would need in the future: well trained specialists, white collar workers. From this, in turn, we derive the idea of what kind of workforce it makes sense to allow or to attract into Estonia.

Even so, there are sectors where simple jobs need to be done here, in Estonia. One such being tourism – not limited to that, though. Everybody needs to go shopping; in offices, dust does not disappear by itself. Two-three years ago, already, local employers were saying that unemployment was about to be accompanied by worker shortage. We do have job seekers. We do also have jobs. Trouble is: the two don’t meet. Potential workers we might have, but not for the wages the employers are willing to offer. For workers, higher wages would be good news indeed; even so, when not accompanied by increased productivity and effectiveness, for employers the deal would be bad.

Therefore, again, we are having to discuss the issue: will Estonia, in times to come, escape the need for foreign workers? For years, entrepreneurs have been pointing this out. Quietly and warily, at first. Recently, the voices have been getting ever louder.

Since our regained independence, Estonia’s migration policy has been clearly restrictive towards immigration. Discussing the issue won’t mean that, in near future, substantial and opposite decisions should be taken. Rather, we should try and get over the feeling that bringing in foreign workers is a topic well-mannered people will not talk about, loudly. And should someone happen to do that, then – as opined in today’s Postimees by Heikki Mäki, head of a worker intermediation firm – the hearer’s heart starts beating faster and his ears lock up to further discussion.

Among the nations, Estonian is not the first and the last to have to tackle the issue. Country-wise, the answers differ – depending, for instance, on peculiarities of the social system and migration policy; still, the fears remain the same: will those who come take away our jobs? Will they take away our money? Mr Mäki shows this need not be the case.

Perhaps, the migration policy is good as it is, solutions available as things are rearranged some other way. Perhaps, the solutions are easier that we might think – like better targeted vocational training or use of high school and university students at seasonal work, as offered by population scientist Ene-Margit Tiit. Would be a pity, though, if needless fears lead us to exclude the foreign worker option altogether.

Right and rational solutions are only possible with all options considered.