Three views of “guest workers” in the United States

Abstract

Purpose

The effects of the US guest worker program on the home country have not been documented. Jamaica has been a popular source of employees for the hospitality industry. This paper aims to evaluate the effects of the US guest worker program on Jamaica, the Jamaican hotel industry, and Jamaican guest workers.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from structured interviews with key persons in the Jamaican government, hoteliers in Jamaica, and Jamaican guest workers in the USA were analyzed to demonstrate the impact of this program from three viewpoints. Content analysis and frequency were the research methods that were used to analyze the findings.

Findings

Strong support for the workers by the Jamaican government was documented. While the Jamaican hoteliers are affected by a shortage of good workers, they accept the program because of the advantages to the workers and the economy. Advantages of the program from the workers' perspectives were the economic value of the program and the ability to learn about different cultures.

Research limitations/implications

The paper's limitations include the small number of guest workers due to the limited accessibility. The value of the program to a small nation was documented.

Originality/value

This topic is on the minds of lawmakers, employers, and workers yet there is no other documentation of the advantages and disadvantages of the program to the three groups.

Citation

Taylor, M. and Finley, D. (2009), "Three views of “guest workers” in the United States", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 191-200. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110910935688