Xenophobic attitudes and movements in a variety of countries increasingly takes the form of acts of violence with dramatic consequences. Prejudices are often exacerbated by the rise in unemployment which most industrialized countries are facing, and are supported by allegations of an economic nature (foreign workers are said to be taking jobs which could go to nationals); of a social nature (foreign workers are accused of enjoying social benefits and taking housing which could be allocated to nationals); of a moral nature (foreign workers are said to be the reason for increased violence and delinquency); and of an educational nature (the children of foreign workers are accused of slowing the progress of the classes they attend).
2. The contributions of foreign workers are often unheeded. They have played an important role in the economic development of host countries (who initially invited them during periods of economic boom), and also usually accept those jobs which nationals do not want. It is also socially advantageous for nations to become less parochial by means of the introduction of varying cultural, artistic, linguistic and social backgrounds.