Migrant labour in the automotive industry: A literature review

Abstract

The automotive industry has a significant role not only in global and national economies but also in the formation of a nation’s labour force, by (re)training workers. While historically the automobile industry has attracted mostly low-skilled migrants for the assembly lines, in the present times, an additional need for highly skilled and often STEM-educated migrant workers has been noted. By performing a systematic literature review, the present study explored the relationships between migrant labour and the car industry sector outlined in the research literature. The study followed a thematic analysis and reached findings that were summarised in four themes. Firstly, two profiles of migrant workers were identified, corresponding to what is often discussed as low- and highly skilled workers. Secondly, the working conditions for the migrant labour force were prominent in the literature, while they varied based on the profile of the migrant worker. Thirdly, from a historical perspective, strikes were shown to affect migrants’ working conditions and rights, while fourthly, the business practice of offshoring was shown to influence migrant workforce conditions and status. In conclusion, the complexity of the issue under research, the scarcity of the relevant literature, and the contextuality of the cases presented have acted as limitations of this literature review. Further research on the topic is needed since the car industry is a core player in national economies, and, hence, its influence on migration practices and policies should not be underestimated.