Ghanaian Migration to the Netherlands: Status Paradox?

Migration continues to serve as platform for financial and social empowerment in many countries including Ghana. There are many constraints associated with the life of migrants; however, the quest to be socially acknowledged enables them to adopt certain survival strategies. Using qualitative methodology, this paper examines Ghanaians migration to the Netherlands using the concept of “burger”. This research work highlights that some Ghanaian migrants travel with the goal of earning money to meet their personal and family needs, and so engage in any available job to build and maintain their new burger status. As burgers, they have to obtain enough money to maintain their elevated social status but need to ensure that relatives and friends in Ghana do not know how this money is obtained. To maintain the new “privilege” social status often ascribed to Ghanaians living abroad, migrants are compelled to juggle their work, income, and lifestyle in the Netherlands and (mis)-representation of themselves in Ghana.