America's future? Japan competes by importing cheap temporary foreign labor. (legal, cost)

[katzpaw]

Subaru and other Japanese manufacturers import cheap labor from other Asian countries and pay them about 1/2 what a Japanese person would get paid. The labor brokers they use take about $4/hour of that, and Subaru then deducts for room and board (on-site barracks). Subaru has no obligations to the workers and can fire at will. The workers are on one year work permits and can only work for that employer. Subaru (the car liberals love) also hires low cost "grey market" labor - asylum seekers who are not technically allowed to work while awaiting a decision.

Is this a future to keep manufacturing in the US? Trump does it, and it's long been a way to keep farming costs down.

Subaru?s secret: Marginalized foreign workers power an export boom

[The Dark Enlightenment]

Most factory labor in Japan is now done by workers who are not hired directly by the manufacturer but have temporary contracts with labor brokers. That's the new normal. Only a small fraction of these people are non-Japanese. Overall, the use of cheap foreign labor in Japan is miniscule compared to the United States.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by katzpaw

Subaru and other Japanese manufacturers import cheap labor from other Asian countries and pay them about 1/2 what a Japanese person would get paid. The labor brokers they use take about $4/hour of that, and Subaru then deducts for room and board (on-site barracks). Subaru has no obligations to the workers and can fire at will. The workers are on one year work permits and can only work for that employer. Subaru (the car liberals love) also hires low cost "grey market" labor - asylum seekers who are not technically allowed to work while awaiting a decision.

Is this a future to keep manufacturing in the US? Trump does it, and it's long been a way to keep farming costs down.

Subaru?s secret: Marginalized foreign workers power an export boom

I hate to say this but; it sounds to me those workers are "legal aliens" and probably still make MORE money than back home. Too; Japan's pop is dropping so it's back's against the wall, either they pay the money for outside help, automate or the country dies.