MORE than 2 000 Zimbabwean migrant workers will enter the United States' (US) rapidly growing cruise ship industry this year, joining thousands who have already secured jobs after fleeing diminishing opportunities back home, the Zimbabwe Independent can reveal.
Anthony Pagliai, consular chief at the US Embassy in Harare, told the Independent this week that at least 20% of visas granted to Zimbabweans are for those pursuing prospects in the cruise ship sector.
This migration trend has gripped Africa, with the region’s workers attracted by the prospects of an industry whose clientele is projected to rise by 10% by 2028, from the 31,7 million who took cruise holidays in 2023, according to sector statistics.
The sector has ordered 57 mega cruise ships, adding to the approximately 300 already operating, as it prepares for a post-Covid 19 pandemic boom.
Zimbabweans are strategically positioning themselves for this growth, in sharp contrast to the prolonged economic downturns back home.
Pagliai noted that the influx into cruise ships has been so significant that Zimbabweans can now be found in most of the sector’s biggest ocean liners.
“I don't think that there is a cruise ship operating in the world that does not have at least some Zimbabwean crew members,” Pagliai told the Independent.
“I believe we are on track to issue over 2 000 visas this year for the ships’ crew. Those are people primarily working on cruise liners and based in ports like Miami, Houston, and Seattle.
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“In fact, crew members make up around 20% of our visa issuances so far this year. That is a major category for us. There are a lot of folks going for crew visas for that type of employment,” he said.
Cruise ship firms have been aggressively recruiting across Africa.
In Zimbabwe, professionals frustrated by prolonged upheavals have been taking up menial jobs in advanced economies, which offer far better opportunities compared to their professions back home.
Basic incomes on some cruise ships can be as high as US$1 500 per week for skilled workers, whereas they would be lucky to earn US$200 per week in Zimbabwe.
The rate of migration is expected to rise in response to projected economic downturns.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion minister Mthuli Ncube recently revised growth estimates to 2%, citing a ‘historic’ El Niño-induced drought and falling commodity prices.
This represents a 1,5 percentage point downward revision from the 3,5% gross domestic product (GDP) growth announced in the 2024 national budget late last year, demonstrating how opportunities will continue to shrink this year.
Washington has expressed concern over the lack of investments in Zimbabwe, which has stifled job opportunities.
The US new ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, stated two weeks ago that she will push the government for improvements in the country’s investment climate during her tenure to expand economic opportunities.
“I think working on the investment climate could be a low-hanging fruit,” she told journalists after presenting her credentials to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“There are easy things too, like reducing the amount of bureaucracy that businesses have to go through to register and operate in this country.
“Some regulatory certainty would make it a lot easier. We have been talking to US banks and financial institutions and asking them why they don't return to the Zimbabwean market,” Tremont noted.
Chenayimoyo Mutambasere, an economist at the Africa Centre for Economic Justice, stated that limited work opportunities for young people were driving Zimbabweans to seek employment on cruise ships.
“Young people are not getting access to work that can afford them a guaranteed income above the living wage,” Mutambasere said.
“Cruise ships are always recruiting due to high labour turnover in this market, and Africa offers a young, reliable and skilled workforce.”
Pagliai also highlighted that education is a primary pathway to work and reside in the US.
Zimbabwe boasts a student population of nearly 2 000 in American institutions, a figure he anticipates will continue to grow.
With 1 789 Zimbabwean higher education students in the US for the 2022/23 academic year, Zimbabwe ranks second in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of per capita enrolment and sixth in overall enrolment.
According to the 2023 Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education, the number of Zimbabwean undergraduate students climbed by 24,4% last year, one of the highest increases among Sub-Saharan African countries.
Of Zimbabweans studying in the US, 51,4% are undergraduates, 29,4% are graduate students, 17% are pursuing optional practical training, and the rest are enrolled in non-degree programmes.
The United States remains one of the top three destinations for Zimbabweans studying abroad, following South Africa and the United Kingdom.
“Student visa is a major pathway, probably the most major pathway to working in the United States. We prioritise our student visas,” Pagliai said.
“In fact, just last Wednesday we had a student visa - only day. All of our visa applicants were students that were trying to get in before their school start in August.
“Once a student visa is issued, the person can then travel to the United States and start their studies. By our count, nearly 2 000 Zimbabweans are currently studying in the United States.”
