Migration..work in KL..?

Something in TheStar today about changes to Australian immigration rules sometime in May this year -- measures aimed at graduates who intend to apply for permanent residency. Which will affect me (if I decide to stay on after graduating). Apparently PR isn't really working out for some of them. I suppose the issues would probably deal with communication and gaining the requisite skills required for one to stay on and contribute to their economy.

All this while, their stance has been "only the skilled need apply". Hence I find interesting this article in TheAge today - "Migrating to a World Without Borders"

...it is already an "entirely utopian" hope that unskilled jobs could be filled without migrant workers. That is because of an apparent paradox: high-skilled economies generate a lot of low-skilled work. Think of the hospital orderlies, hotel staff, waiters, labourers and cleaners needed to run the modern, service economy...These jobs have two significant characteristics: unlike factory work, they cannot be exported to China. And in Britain and elsewhere, the increasingly well-educated local-born no longer want to do them.

Similar to what we discussed in uni last sem. Some things just can't be outsourced. You may outsource your payroll processing to India or Malaysia, but you'd still need someone to be salesperson/marketer in the firm etc. Low-skilled work is where the migrants come into the picture. Even in Malaysia, our unemployment rate isn't that bad and there's jobs available if one's not too fussy. Thats why we depend on foreign labour for construction sites/plantations/maids from neighbouring countries etc. They come in because locals don't want those jobs.

Taking a look at my (working) friends' lives now doesn't make me feel so good about the prospects of working here (KL/PJ). Some work on Saturdays, some don't. But almost all work till at least 7pm on weekdays. After going through the obligatory traffic snarls, its pretty late and all they have time for is dinner/bath/maybe some yamcha. On weekends, some get called back for support work/complete boss's requests. Last weekend on the short trip, 2 of 'em ended up bringing their laptops to finish up some work while the rest of us bummed.

The phrase "quality of life" seems to be an unheard of here. Of course all the parents will say this is a graduate's life etc etc etc. But no point earning all the money and having no time to spend it right? Inherent Asian mentality is : graduate--secure a steady job--get married--secure mortgage--live happily(?) ever after. And thats why few take up courses in the Arts or Humanities. Why?--"cannot find job".

Perhaps I'll get sucked into this routine of "life", where time passes and before you know it, you hit 40 and realise "OMG what did I do with the last 20 years??", suffer a mid-life crisis and grab a backpack and head off for a long-dreamt of trek of Asia. Whatever happened to making more out of the routine? Picnics at the park on weekends (hardly plausible in Msia though - think robbery/snatch theft/snoop gangs etc)? Taking some time out for community involvement aka volunteering?

Fortunately, I'm not 40 yet, nor am I in a mid-life crisis. But fact is, I'll be graduating in a few months time. DIMIA's decision (abt immigration) might help me decide. But for the moment, I'm still undecided about staying in Melbourne or coming back. Or even heading off to another country.

The article from the Age is quite apt, although thats interposed with a British perspective. In uni, one of the first things they teach in economics is the circular flow of goods and services. Add labour to that now. Imagine living in a borderless world where you go where your skills are in demand. Everytime you move from one place to another, you pick up new skills/experiences and add to your "value". But this's probably for the "skilled". And only for those who choose to do so.

Can't recall where I've readup on being a "global citizen". Could be in one of Kenichi Ohmae's readings last sem. Although citizenship is held in one country, the individual is as at home in other countries as in his/her home country. I guess thats what I want to be.

Unlike some friends, I've never said Malaysia is a bad place to return to. Friendly folks (well, mostly), fantabulous beaches and good food. On the downside - terrible traffic, uncivil folks (no sense of common courtesy or graces), erm..increasingly unhealthy situations in local governance and abit more. But mainly its the work culture I'm uncertain of.

Perhaps some good Sarawak laksa might sway my decision =) or perhaps exposure to more "fantabulous" beaches next month (Pulau Manukan/Gaya??).. still have 6 months to decide.