Job Mobility Portals

The European Union (EU) is attempting to formalize its immigration flows. Years of a Fortress Europe policy have resulted in a large population of undocumented migrants, straining social services. The plan is to embrace labor mobility instead of trying to block it:

Mr Frattini proposed establishing EU "Migration Support Teams" to help African countries manage migration.

He also announced plans to create "European Job Mobility Portals" in African countries which would provide information for local people about job opportunities in Europe.

The new measures are expected to help "step up the dialogue and co-operation on migration issues with Africa", he said.

Some African officials and aid groups have warned that attracting skilled labour will cause a brain-drain in Africa.

Mr Frattini insisted his plans would not result in a shortage of educated talent in Africa.

"We can avoid the brain-drain by enhancing our assistance to the countries of origin, by promoting initiatives to have a brain circulation rather than a brain drain," he said, quoted by the AP news agency.

Pittsburgh could do the same thing, setting up job mobility portals domestically and internationally. The region should help its talent and youth relocate along established lines of communication. Pittsburgh would attract other economic migrants aiming to tap into the network of labor mobility.

In other words, Pittsburgh would become a staging area for entering the global economy.

Pittsblog lists a few organizations already in Pittsburgh who could help facilitate the desperately needed inmigration. Pittsburgh does have a migration problem, but it mostly ignores the networks best positioned to address the current economic slump. The reason is a lack of policy leadership.