migrant labour  Semiskilled or unskilled workers who move from
one region to another, offering their services on a temporary,
usually seasonal, basis. In North America, migrant labour is
generally employed in agriculture and moves seasonally from
south to north following the harvest. In Europe and the Middle
East, migrant labour usually involves urban rather than
agricultural employment and calls for longer periods of
residence. The migrant labour market is often disorganized and
exploitative. Many workers are supervised by middlemen such as
labour contractors and crew leaders, who recruit and transport
them and dispense their pay. Labourers commonly endure long
hours, low wages, poor working conditions, and substandard
housing. In some countries, child labour is widespread among
migrant labourers, and even in the U.S. those children who do
not work often do not go to school, since schools are usually
open only to local residents. Workers willing to accept
employment on these terms are usually driven by even