International Migration Policy Research Articles

International migration narratives: Systemic global politics, irregular and return migrations

International migration is one of the most discussed and controversial subjects in policies, programs, and practices. The discussions and controversies commonly revolve around issues of gains and/or otherwise of international migrations: to the world, to the sending and receiving countries, and to the migrants, for example. The objective ramifications of these issues, however, remain unclear in accounts, processes, and outcomes thereby leading to tangled and intellectually complicated narratives and deployments with different effects on international migration policies and practices. What is unclear includes how international migrations should be governed and narrated, how migrations affect development, and how migrants survive at destinations. International migration narratives fall broadly within pro- and anti-migration sentiments with different camps developing narratives to drive their own perspectives. Underlying these tangled perspectives are national, continental, and global orientations. This review essay examines the trajectories of common narratives of international migrations from the perspectives of key international organizations, renegotiations of survival strategies by irregular migrants, and the development experiences of return migrants, all of which will enhance our understanding of the contours and ramifications of international migration.

Improving international policy-making in the absence of treaty regimes: the international forestry, migration and water policy cases

Distinguishing between international regime features and national implementation problems affecting policy effectiveness in many areas of international policy-making is an area of increasing concern to practitioners and academics alike. While many observers have traced problems with existing global governance architectures to deal with contemporary problems to the lack of appropriate treaties at the international level, recent work on regime fragmentation and the interplay between regimes suggests that a lack of a central and integrated international regime may be overcome through improved multi-level governance efforts. Much can be learned in this area from sectoral experiences in areas such as water and forestry as well as non-resource areas such as migration where such strong regimes have failed to develop.

Improving international policy-making in the absence of treaty regimes: the international forestry, migration and water policy cases

Distinguishing between international regime features and national implementation problems affecting policy effectiveness in many areas of international policy-making is an area of increasing concern to practitioners and academics alike. While many observers have traced problems with existing global governance architectures to deal with contemporary problems to the lack of appropriate treaties at the international level, recent work on regime fragmentation and the interplay between regimes suggests that a lack of a central and integrated international regime may be overcome through improved multi-level governance efforts. Much can be learned in this area from sectoral experiences in areas such as water and forestry as well as non-resource areas such as migration where such strong regimes have failed to develop.

Patterns and Micro-Drivers of International Emigration in Nigeria

Abstract. The study attempts to unfold the determinants of international migration from Nigeria to other countries by using 2009 Nigeria Migration Survey data by World Bank (2011). It also employs econometric techniques of linear probability and binary probit models. The findings indicates that individual and household characteristics as well as economic and geographical factors play significant roles in making Nigerians to migrate abroad. The individual characteristics are gender (if male), age, marital status and education years, while household size is the only significant factor under household characteristics. The amount of remittance is the only significant economic determinant. The statistically significant geographical factors include locality (if urban) and geopolitical zones (if south-east, south-south, south-west and Lagos). Second, the same factors are the determinants of international migration to OECD and African countries, albeit they are stronger in influencing migration to African countries than to OECD countries. However, amount of remittance has positive effect on international migration to OECD countries but it is negative on international migration to African countries. Thus, the policy implication is that any international migration policy should target the above determinants of international migration in order to contain it. Keywords. International migration, Remittances, Probit model, Policy implications. JEL. F22, F24, C31, F42.

The politics of dispersal: Turning Ugandan colonial subjects into postcolonial refugees (1967–76)

This article examines the role of postcolonial diasporic refugees, particularly East African Asian expellees, in international migration policy. It explores similar concerns with postcolonial diasporas and postcolonial identity issues in the homogeneous imagination of the decolonized nation states. Though the focus is on the creation of a global Ugandan Asian diaspora, developments in Kenya, as well as in Britain, and India are crucial keystones of this international history. The desire of these countries to reduce their responsibility for former colonial subjects eventually led to shifting conceptions of citizenship and international dispersal of postcolonial refugees. The Ugandan Asian expulsion became framed as a matter of international concern, rather than a purely British postcolonial problem. This paper claims that the internationalization of refugee resettlement served to cut through ties between the former colonial diaspora and the metropole (Britain) on the one hand and the diaspora and the motherland (India) on the other.

Immigration then, now, and in the future

The author examines recent changes in immigration flows to the United States. Consideration is given to the increase in Caribbean, Chinese, Indian, and Muslim immigration, which he attributes to today's lower costs of air travel. The negative impact of the ability to return home easily and cheaply on migrants' desire to fully acculturate into U.S. society is noted. Mention is made of the need for new international migration policies to meet the needs of guest workers and consultants.

Educational Considerations for Refugee And Migrant Children in the United States

This briefing addresses the issue of refugee and migrant children in schools in the United States (US), an issue at the intersection of international migration policy and national education policy....

REGULATION OF MIGRATION PROCESSES IN THE TERMS OF GEOPOLITICAL INSTABILITY: LEGAL ISSUES

Over the past decades, the migration processes have undergone an extensive modification, creating the new forms and types of cross-country migration. The problems of migration and the ways of their management in the XXI century became one of the main issues of the developed countries and the subject of acute political debates, they also became an impulse for consolidating the efforts of the Governments in the development of the unified mechanism for the creation a favorable social -economic environment both for migrants and for the inhabitants of the donor countries. In modern conditions, the migration is considered not only from the point of view of the mechanical movement of a population, and, importantly, a special attention is paid to social processes, involving all social-economic climates of the territories. The movement of refugees from the territories covered by ethnic, political and religious contradictions, military conflicts, natural and man-made disasters, generates a lot of problems in the host countries, undermine the existing public order, make adjustments to the lives of local communities, become the cause of the balance changes in the geopolitical map. All the above mentioned proves the necessity of developing the new approaches to the legal regulation of the international migration policy in the context of achieving a balance between the interests of all participants in migration processes.

International Migration Policies: Should They Be A New G20 Topic?

AbstractInternational migration should be a core subject for global governance, given its transnational nature, and yet it is its “ugly duckling” and the global community has shied away from taking any concrete action to regulate cross‐border flows of people, at least until 2015, when the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean prompted Turkey to include migration in the Antalya agenda. It is unlikely that the international community will move beyond the current consensus based on humanitarian principles and recognize that the free flow of people is a right, on the same level as trade and capital liberalization. At the same time, much of the criticism of migration policies is misplaced: efforts should be focused on improving the implementation of existing policies and fine‐tune these policies in relation to entrance and integration, preferably in cooperation with the country of origin. The G20 should play a leading role in facilitating such coordination, also taking into account the increasing importance of South–South migration (such as the migration of Chinese citizens to Africa).

International migration and related policies in europe 1950 - 2015

Immigration in Europe has been shaped by: a) its particular development in time; b) the geographical patterns of migration within and towards European countries; and c) the shifting types of migration and characteristics of migrants involved. The first part of this contribution outlines changes in these three basic migration-related factors. Migration outcomes are not haphazard nor are these the result of unhindered economic push and pull factors in a free market. Immigration policies of receiving countries do greatly influence the volume and patterns of migration, the place of settlement and the characteristics of migrants. Regulations on conditions of residence and integration do furthermore influence significantly the position of immigrants in their new destination, among others by setting conditions for their stay (residence rights) and access to the labour market. The second part of this chapter outlines the migration and integration regimes that have been developed by states of different parts of Europe and by the European Union. In conclusion, immigration has become a relevant phenomenon in all EU countries. However, as a consequence of different timing of immigration, different socio-economic contexts and varying governmental migration and integration policies, European countries are confronted with different forms migration (immigration, emigration, transit migration) and with different types of migrants. European states have also developed different governmental policies of migration and integration. Historically, a common denominator in the framing of European policies is that countries do not see themselves as immigration countries; they are immigration countries against their will. In recent times, such framing is reinforced by populist and nationalist movements that see immigrants not only as economic competitors, but also as a threat to the national "culture and world views". The more Europe needs immigrants for economic and demographic reasons, the less they are welcomed for cultural and political reasons.

The international migration and foreign policy nexus: the case of Syrian refugee crisis and Turkey

The relationship between ‘foreign’ and ‘immigration and asylum’ policy is complex and has significant consequences beyond these policy areas. Despite their ever increasing importance, migration and refugee studies have been rarely tackled within the foreign policy dimension of state’s responses, in particular regarding refugee crisis. This paper both demonstrates the importance for and impact of foreign policy orientations on immigration and asylum policies. It questions how ‘foreign’ policy and ‘asylum’ policy are intertwined and generate differences in coping with the mass influx with a focus on the Syrian refugee crisis and Turkey’s policy responses. We argue that assertive foreign policy of Turkey, particularly willingness to be the actor ‘establishing the order’ in the Middle East’ which led to the ‘open-door’ and humanitarian asylum policy at the initial stages of refugee flow. However, the isolation of Turkish foreign policy along with the increase in the numbers of refugees necessitated recalibration of the adopted policy towards the one based on ‘non-arrival’, and ‘security’ emphasizing ‘temporary protection’, ‘voluntary return’ and the ‘burden share’.

Population Ageing and International Migration Policy in South Korea

Population Ageing and International Migration Policy in South Korea

The driving forces of collective action among policy actors: Value, power, and social capital

This study explores the core factors for the policy actors to select their policy partners in the policy processes, focusing on the mechanism underpinning the communication density between policy actors in the networks. For the purpose, this study identifies three major candidate groups: policy actors’ values, policy actors’ power, and social capital between policy actors. Then, with the relational data collected by the survey on the Korean international migration policy processes, we try to find core factors affecting communication density between policy actors. The results show that the most influential factors are found in the group of social capital while the variables around policy actors’ value systems are shown to be statistically insignificant, and that what is more important is not the trust based on receiver’s social reputation but the instant trust created during the policy process. This research also indicates that formal voting power is one of the significant variables in deciding the communication density between policy actors.

Развивая основы мировой миграционной политики: вклад России

The article deals both with the international migration policy and the migration global governance. In the 21st century, the role of migration in the international political process is growing increasingly, the migration discourse is being seriously transformed, the migration situation in Northern and Western Europe changes completely. It is obvious that preventive measures are highly necessary to take. The experience of Northern Europe seems to be highly important for both successful practices determination and migration policy regulation in Russia. By September 2015, the Member States of the United Nations will have negotiated a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs). These goals will frame a new international development agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which expire at the end of 2015. Nowadays the International Organization for Migration is trying to integrate the migration subject into the international agenda, and there are three aspects highlighted: fostering partnerships on mobility and development; promotion and protection of migrants’ rights and wellbeing; reduction of human mobility costs. Today, Russia is active at migration global governance as well. It is visible that both the migration subject integration into the global agenda and the Millennium Development Goals revision are highly important for Russia’s authority strengthening on the international stage, in terms of present-day sanctions. This is the right way which reveals new possibilities for Russia as a global actor as well as new perspective for its influence on the international political process. The author also tries to interlink the migration process and the international political process, the international migration policy and the migration global governance. A new term of the international migration policy is introduced.

Change and Continuity in Australian International Migration Policy

Almost half Australia's population are an immigrant or the child of an immigrant. This paper traces changes in Australia's immigration policy over the postwar period and relates them to changing global and national developments. While Australian postwar immigration policy changes are similar in many ways to those in other “traditional” migration countries there are a number of distinctive elements. The effectiveness of those policies in achieving government goals is assessed and it is concluded that most objectives of policy have been successfully achieved. Nevertheless there are a number of challenges which Australian policy makers face over the next decade.

Returning 'Home': Experiences of Reintegration for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Social workers have a role in providing support to asylum seekers and refugees who are considering returning to their country of origin. To enable good support, a greater understanding is required of the experiences of those who return voluntarily, their difficulties of adjustment and reintegration back into their country of origin. This systematic review explores themes within eight qualitative studies of the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees who voluntarily return. It specifically focuses on the conditions that make reintegration back home most successful. There are three key findings: people need to be prepared for return, economically and psychologically; independent monitoring could protect returnees; and there are contradicting drivers between internal migration policies and return policies of EU host countries. Asylum seekers are ordinarily unable to work in the host country, which means they are unable to save or develop skills for return; these employment restrictions create dependency and corrode the resilience required for sustainable return. The findings of this review can be drawn upon as a model of discussion points between social workers and people considering return. It serves to highlight that return is not necessarily the end of the migration process for individuals.

Measuring and Comparing Immigration, Asylum and Naturalization Policies Across Countries: Challenges and Solutions

AbstractAcademics and policy makers require a better understanding of the variation of policies that regulate global migration, asylum and immigrant naturalization. At present, however, there is no comprehensive cross‐national, time‐series database of such policies, rendering the analysis of policy trends across and within these areas difficult at best. Several new immigration databases and indices have been developed in recent years. However, there is no consensus on how best to conceptualize, measure and aggregate migration policy indicators to allow for meaningful comparisons through time and across space. This article discusses these methodological challenges and introduces practical solutions that involve historical, multi‐dimensional, disaggregated and transparent conceptualizing, measuring and compiling of cross‐national immigration policies. Such an approach informs the International Migration Policy and Law Analysis (IMPALA) database.

Measuring and Comparing Immigration, Asylum and Naturalization Policies Across Countries: Challenges and Solutions

Academics and policy makers require a better understanding of the variation of policies that regulate global migration, asylum and immigrant naturalization. At present, however, there is no comprehensive cross-national, time-series database of such policies, rendering the analysis of policy trends across and within these areas difficult at best. Several new immigration databases and indices have been developed in recent years. However, there is no consensus on how best to conceptualize, measure and aggregate migration policy indicators to allow for meaningful comparisons through time and across space. This article discusses these methodological challenges and introduces practical solutions that involve historical, multi-dimensional, dis-aggregated and transparent conceptualizing, measuring and compiling of cross-national immigration policies. Such an approach informs the International Migration Policy and Law Analysis (IMPALA) database.

Assessment of Internal Migration Policies in Developing Countries: Evidence from Tanzania

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of national policy and internal migration with the aim to provide some useful determinants in developing migration policies in Tanzania. The study used the multinomial logistic regression model to examine the internal migration factors which are very important in developing migration policies. Secondary data extracted from the National Bureau of Statistics was used for analysis. The study found out that gender, wage differentials, level of education, marital status and age are significant factors in developing migration policy in Tanzania. The study also revealed that more single male with less education make more movements than female. The study suggests that the government and policy makers to review some laws and regulations governing migration. In addition, it suggests that before imposing any restrictive policy, the government authorities are recommended to develop policies that reflect opportunities available in the country with the aim to reduce the negative effects of migration.

Change of Paradigms? A Comparison of Canadian and Spanish Labour Migration Models

In the international immigration debate, the predominance of the temporary migration of low-skilled migrants in Europe has often been contrasted with generous entry avenues for high-skilled migrants in North America and Australia. Recently, however, “classic” admission countries overseas have weakened their admission channels for high-skilled workers, whereas this category of migrants has acquired a new prominence in Europe. The goal of this article is to analyse the impact of these policy changes on the Canadian and Spanish migration regimes, which represent two paradigmatic examples of different labour migration models on the spectrum of international migration policies.