The Labour Market Effects of Immigration

This briefing discusses the impacts of immigration on the labour market in the UK, focusing on wages and employment

Top Ten Problems in the Evidence Base for Public Debate and Policy-Making on Immigration in the UK

This report sets out the ten most important problems in the evidence base on immigration and migrants in the UK

Migrant rights, immigration policy and human development

This paper explores the potential impacts of the rights of migrant workers (“migrant rights”) on the human development of actual and potential migrants, their families, and other people in migrants’ countries of origin. A key feature of the paper is its consideration of how migrant rights affect both the capability to move and work in higher income countries (i.e. the access of workers in low-income countries to labour markets of higher-income countries) and capabilities while living and working abroad. The paper suggests that there may be a trade-off between the number and some of the rights of low-skilled migrants admitted to high-income countries and explores the implications for human development.Migrant rights, immigration policy, human development, global labor markets

Migrant Rights, Immigration Policy and Human Development

This paper explores the potential impacts of the rights of migrant workers (“migrant rights”) on the human development of actual and potential migrants, their families, and other people in migrants’ countries of origin. A key feature of the paper is its consideration of how migrant rights affect both the capability to move and work in higher income countries (i.e. the access of workers in low-income countries to labour markets of higher-income countries) and capabilities while living and working abroad. The paper suggests that there may be a trade-off between the number and some of the rights of low-skilled migrants admitted to high-income countries and explores the implications for human development.Migrant rights, immigration policy, human development, global labor markets

The fundamental rights of irregular migrant workers in the EU : understanding and reducing protection gaps

Published: July 2022This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, aims to inform policy debates about how to protect more effectively the fundamental rights of irregular migrant workers in the EU. It analyses the nature and causes of the gaps between the fundamental rights protections enshrined in EU legal standards and the rights realised by irregular migrants working in EU Member States in practice, and it discusses strategies for how these ‘protection gaps’ can be reduced

Migrant rights, immigration policy and human development

This paper explores the potential impacts of the rights of migrant workers (“migrant rights”) on the human development of actual and potential migrants, their families, and other people in migrants’ countries of origin. A key feature of the paper is its consideration of how migrant rights affect both the capability to move and work in higher income countries (i.e. the access of workers in low-income countries to labour markets of higher-income countries) and capabilities while living and working abroad. The paper suggests that there may be a trade-off between the number and some of the rights of low-skilled migrants admitted to high-income countries and explores the implications for human development

Guest workers : enduring questions and policy controversies

As Germany marks the 60th anniversary of admitting its first Gastarbeiter (guest workers) from Turkey in 1961, it is important to recognize that guest-worker policies have a long and global history that predates Germany's post-war policies (e.g. Hahamovitch, 2003) and that they are, despite various ‘obituaries’ (e.g. Castles, 1986), still very much alive today. While the terminology and aspects of policy design have evolved over time – from ‘guest-worker programmes’ (e.g. Martin & Teitelbaum, 2001) to ‘temporary labour migration programmes’ (e.g. GCIM, 2005), ‘circular migration programmes’ (e.g. European Migration Network, 2011) and, most recently, ‘international skills partnerships’ (e.g. Clemens, 2015)1 – the fundamental idea of admitting migrant workers on a temporary basis to help address perceived labour and skills shortages has become an enduring feature of the migration policy landscape of the world's rich countries (Ruhs, 2013). This is unlikely to change in the near future, given that permanent labour immigration programmes (that provide migrant workers with permanent residence and work permits on arrival) are typically limited to the most highly skilled workers and have declined in importance in countries where they used to play a large role

Migrant rights, immigration policy and human development

This paper explores the potential impacts of the rights of migrant workers (“migrant rights”) on the human development of actual and potential migrants, their families, and other people in migrants’ countries of origin. A key feature of the paper is its consideration of how migrant rights affect both the capability to move and work in higher income countries (i.e. the access of workers in low-income countries to labour markets of higher-income countries) and capabilities while living and working abroad. The paper suggests that there may be a trade-off between the number and some of the rights of low-skilled migrants admitted to high-income countries and explores the implications for human development

Rethinking EU migration and asylum policies: Managing immigration jointly with countries of origin and transit. Stiftung MEDAM Assessment Report on Asylum and Migration Policies in Europe 2019 Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration (MEDAM)

The arrival of more than one million asylum seekers in Europe in 2015 exposed serious flaws in the EU’s asylum system. While the inflow of irregular migrants has long subsided, the political landscape and public debate in Europe have been fundamentally and permanently altered. Multiple efforts over the years to reform the European asylum system and to make it resilient to possible future surges in refugee movements have reached an impasse. Since early 2016, the EU has implemented far-reaching agreements with neighboring countries to curb irregular immigration, including the EU-Turkey understanding, the closure of the Western Balkans migration route, and support for search and rescue operations by the Libyan coast guard and the return to Libya of individuals rescued at sea. However, the EU and its member states have not used the respite offered by fewer irregular migrants arriving in Europe to address important shortcomings: key provisions of the EU-Turkey agreement are not functional, especially for the return of migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey; asylum systems in Western Balkan countries are underdeveloped and would be overwhelmed quickly if migrant flows were to resurge; and the human rights of migrants in Libya are routinely violated

Who cares what the people think? : public attitudes and refugee protection in Europe

Published online: 26 April 2022This paper discusses why and how public attitudes should matter in regulating asylum and refugee protection in rich democracies, with a focus on Europe. Taking a realistic approach, I argue that public views constitute a soft feasibility constraint on effective and sustainable policies towards asylum seekers and refugees, and that a failure to take seriously and understand the attitudes of the host country’s population can have a very damaging effect on refugee protection and migrants’ rights in practice. Bringing together insights from political philosophy, the politics of asylum, and research on public attitudes, I develop my argument by discussing why ‘what the people think’ should matter in asylum and refugee polices; how public views can and should matter given the well-known challenges with measuring attitudes and policy preferences; and what the prevailing public views might mean for the reform of asylum and refugee policies in Europe