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CARICOM. CARICOM is a 15-member organization of Caribbean states that promotes free trade and migration. There are significant wage gaps between member nations, which has prompted richer islands to limit freedom of movement and raised complaints from governments who say their nationals are "targeted" in richer member countries.

The major issue in summer 2009 was the enforcement and legalization campaign in Barbados that allegedly targeted Guyanese. Guyana has about three times as many residents as Barbados and a per capita income a fifth of that of Barbados. Barbados offered legalization between June and November 2009 to CARICOM nationals who arrived before December 31, 2005, had been in Barbados at least eight years, and had committed no crimes. There were complaints that the stepped-up enforcement accompanying legalization included early morning raids on the homes of Guyanese migrants.

Belize, which has an estimated 35,000 unauthorized foreign workers from neighboring Central American countries, and the Bahamas, which has an estimated 10,000, also plan regularization and enforcement campaigns. Antigua's chief immigration officer explained stepped-up enforcement by saying "The big question a lot of nationals are asking as they are being laid off is, 'Why are we still hosting so many non-nationals in the country? Why are they not sent back? Why are their jobs not being taken?'"

CARICOM's Human and Social Development Secretariat reported in summer 2009 that 50,000 doctors, nurses and teachers emigrated between the mid-1990s and 2005; about 75 percent of CARICOM's university graduates left the region. A 2007 study supported by the Canadian International Development Agency concluded that "The Caribbean Community has the highest rate of emigration in the world - a regional average of about 35 percent of the labor force has migrated to OECD countries since 1965."

Jamaica receives $2 billion a year in remittances, but some question whether remittances compensate for the investment made in the schooling of the ‚migr‚s and the cost of separation from families. Researchers urge the government to maintain links to professionals abroad to stimulate foreign investment in Jamaica.

A Haitian boat with up to 200 people abroad sank near the Turks and Caicos Islands in late July 2009; 100 people were rescued. Haiti is about 750 miles from the US, and more Haitians are trying to get to the US by boat as conditions in Haiti deteriorate. Some 1,500 Haitians were intercepted by the US Coast Guard at sea during the first eight months of FY09.

Since 2006, the US has allowed Cuban doctors "who study or work in a third country under the direction of the Cuban government" to leave their assignments and travel to the United States legally. Upon arrival, they can apply for asylum and become immigrants. Cuba graduated 25,000 health-care professionals in 2008. Many go abroad, especially to Venezuela, and at least 2,000 Cuban health-care professionals have used third-country postings to continue to the US.

Brazil. Brazil implemented a legalization program on July 2, 2009 that allows unauthorized foreigners in the country before February 1, 2009 to obtain permanent resident status if they submit a police report showing a clean record. President Lula criticized richer countries that have cracked down on unauthorized migrants during the recession, saying "Work and dignity to the immigrant is the answer Brazil is giving to the intolerance of rich countries."

Some 50,000 (Ministry of Justice estimate) to 200,000 (NGO estimates) unauthorized foreigners from Paraguay, Peru, and Bolivia are expected to apply during the six-month application period for temporary permits that can be converted after two years to permanent resident status. Brazil had legalization programs in 1988 and 1998; some 40,000 foreigners were legalized in 1998.

Marshall Hall, "The brain drain and economic growth," Jamaica Gleaner, September 6, 2009.