Migrant Integration Policy Research Articles

Thinking alike, acting alike? An assessment of organizational homophily and paradigmatic pragmatism in networks for local integration policies

As migrant integration policies touch upon almost all spheres of citizens’ life, collaboration across policy levels as well as across policy domains is needed. Over time, a series of both policy and analytical paradigms on the integration of migrants emerged, going from the traditional ideas of differentialism and assimilation, over multiculturalism, interculturalism, integrationism, liberal egalitarianism and mainstreaming, up to superdiversity and intersectionality. While networks for integration policies are likely to be at least partly driven by these paradigms, recent studies seem to nuance this assumption based on so called paradigmatic pragmatism, meaning that cities draw on a variety of ideas and pragmatically combine them under the header of diversity policies. The need for multi-level and multi-actor governance on migrant integration, the theoretical knowledge about homophily in organizational networks, and the recent findings on paradigmatic pragmatism, raise the question to what extent collaboration between public and non-profit organizations active around migrant integration is based on a shared policy paradigm on the integration of migrants. This question is answered based on a multiple case study of four central cities in Flanders (Belgium), covering 1.403 organizations. In the quantitative and qualitative (social network) analyses, comparisons along both the axes of cities and policy domains are made. Findings contribute to literature on organizational homophily, showing that clustering of organizations is likely to be at least partly driven by policy paradigm on integration. This is however nuanced by the observation that policy paradigms appear to be ambiguous, which in turn reveals opportunities for more flexible collaborations between actors and for avoiding deadlocks in policy making.

Understanding labour exploitation as a social determinant of health in migrant populations – insights from the Danish population-based registers

Abstract Despite recent global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Qatar world cup drawing attention to the significant loss of human lives of labour migrants in precarious working conditions, evidence on the comparative mortality of migrant workers remains sparse and inconsistent. Studying the comparative mortality of migrant workers with local workers is challenging for several reasons. Data on migrants’ employment conditions and health outcomes are often incomplete, and when available captured in separate databases. In addition, there is a need to disentangle the healthy migrant effect from the healthy worker effect, which presents challenges in the selection of reference populations and temporality when studying mortality of migrants. In view of such challenges, Denmark provides an ideal context to study labour migration and mortality. The Danish population-based registers offer linked longitudinal data on migrants’ employment history and mortality outcomes. Denmark’s migrant integration policy also has a history of weaving immigration and labour policies, and migrants in Denmark continue to be prone to labour exploitation in high-risk industries such as construction and agriculture. This presentation shall use Denmark as a case study to compare the mortality outcomes of migrant workers with Danish workers to better understand labour exploitation as a social determinant of health.

Equity in education for migrant and racialized students in Southern Spain: From multilevel analysis to participatory recommendations

This paper aims to analyze equity in education policies and practices in Southern Spain that ensure cultural competence in services and the inclusion of migrant and racialized students. Our model for defining and analyzing equity in education was adapted from the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) and includes five dimensions: (E1) equity in mission/goal, (E2) equity in access, (E3) quality/sensitivity of services, (E4) equity in participation, and (E5) development of partnerships and opportunities. Through transformative mixed methods (i.e., documental analysis of 13 policies, 15 interviews with professionals, one focus group with mothers of Afro-descendant students), the results showed that equity was 100% present in the mission/goal of the Andalusian education system, although there were gaps in its practical implementation, especially in participation and quality/responsiveness. These results were discussed and recommendations for improving equity in education policies and practices are proposed participatively.

Ukrainian Forced Migrants in Edinburgh: How the Homes for Ukraine Scheme Worked

The article presents an in-deep analysis of the implementation the Homes for Ukraine Scheme (HFUS) for Ukrainian forced migrants fleeing the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022. It is noteworthy that the HFUS does not provide for official refugee status in the UK but allows Ukrainians to seek asylum. The HFUS is unique, as it involves, in particular, the settlement of Ukrainian refugees in the same housing with their sponsors, which should contribute to the adaptation and assimilation of new residents in Scotland. Our interviews with Ukrainians and sponsors who hosted Ukrainians aimed to analyse the challenges faced by both groups involved in HFUS. The study aimed to explore the challenges faced by Ukrainians adapting to new conditions in Scotland, their self-identification in a new environment, and their future plans. The primary difficulties identified for Ukrainians in Scotland included limited English language proficiency, challenges in securing employment in their field, navigating unfamiliar systems, and instability hindering long-term planning. Conversely, Scots highlighted challenges related to the lack of clarity in the HFUS, in communication with local councils, and in understanding the consequences of using the scheme. Based on analysis of interviews and other open sources, the authors identified certain aspects that they believe should be considered in Scotland's migrant integration policy, in particular, the effectiveness of the HFUS and the work of state and volunteer organisations that assist Ukrainians and other forced migrants. Additionally, the authors suggest that the gathered data could inform policies for repatriating Ukrainian citizens once the conflict concludes.

One way or another…or both: Different roles of fathers, mothers, and adolescents in the intergenerational transmission of inclusive attitudes

AbstractThis study aimed to examine the processes of intergenerational transmission of attitudes toward migrant integration policies in families with adolescents. Participants included 809 adolescents (Mage = 15.61, range: 13.87–20.04 years), 545 fathers (Mage = 51.19, range: 38–77 years), and 716 mothers (Mage = 48.11, range: 33–68 years) involved in a longitudinal study with two assessments and a time‐lag of 1 year between them. Each family member completed the Attitudes towards Migrant Integration Policies scale. In addition, adolescents reported their perception of discussion of current events with parents and the level of support they receive from them. The cross‐lagged model highlighted a unidirectional transmission, with fathers' but not mothers' attitudes toward migrant integration policies influencing adolescents' attitudes. Furthermore, it has been examined which factors can either amplify or reduce the strength of intergenerational transmission processes considering individual characteristics of both adolescents (i.e., sex, age) and their parents (i.e., political orientation), and cultural (i.e., family, ethnic background) and relational (i.e., discussion of current events, perceived support from fathers and mothers) family characteristics. Individual factors (i.e., fathers' political orientation) and family relational characteristics (i.e., perceived support from fathers) moderated the transmission processes. The transmission was bidirectional when fathers reported being left‐wing and politically oriented and stronger when adolescents reported high support from their fathers. Thus, this study underscores the complexity of the family context, highlighting that the transmission of inclusive attitudes does not always operate in one way (e.g., from parents to children) or another, but in some cases, simultaneously.

A virtuous cycle? Migrant integration policies, attitudes toward immigration, and populist radical right voting in Europe

Are citizens less likely to support populist radical right parties (PRRPs) in countries with more inclusive migrant integration policies? Studies show that integration policies foster positive attitudes toward migrants, which, in turn, are associated with a lower likelihood of supporting PRRPs. However, the impact of integration policies on PRRP voting has not been assessed yet on a cross-country level—neither direct nor dependent on (anti)immigration attitudes. Using data from the European Social Survey 2016 and the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) from 2011 and 2015 for 15 EU member states, we show that more inclusive integration policies are associated with a lower likelihood to support PRRPs. We also find a moderating effect of these policies on the impact of attitudes toward migrants on PRRP voting. However, the effect of migration policy change seems to be more context dependent.

The Effects of Admission Policies on Rates of Family Migration in European States, 2008–2019

This study investigates whether and how much family migration policies have influenced patterns of family migration in European states. Family migration has been the largest category of entry in many Western countries in recent decades, and it has been the subject of increasing contestation in political debates. While research on family migration policies has advanced in recent years, no comprehensive cross-country comparisons have been done of the impact of different policies on the size and composition of family migrant inflows. This study addresses this gap by analysing the connection between admission policies and rates of family migration in 31 European states during the 2008 to 2019 period. Combining data from Eurostat and the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX), this study uses a time-series regression analysis to assess the effects of admission policies on different types of family related immigration. While restrictive admission policies have led to falling overall levels of family migration, the analysis here reveals stratifying implications, whereby the effect has been greater where the sponsor is a non-EU citizen than where he/she is an EU citizen. By providing evidence on the differential impacts of admission policies on family related immigration, this study contributes new insights on the effects of restrictive migration policies.

Integration of immigrant women in Europe: a multifaceted approach

PurposeThis work analyzes female immigrants’ integration in the dimensions of education, labor market participation and fertility in 15 European countries, considering individual characteristics, including cultural background, host countries’ attitudes towards immigrants, the role of women in the family and country-specific integration policy. All these aspects taken together are crucial to understand the main patterns of integration focusing on gender differences.Design/methodology/approachWe focus on second- and first-generation male and female immigrants between the age of 25 and 41, with a length of stay of at least ten years. Enrollment ratios for tertiary education in parents’ countries, the total fertility rate and the female labor force in the mother’s country represent ethnic background. Diversity in the destination regions is captured by local attitudes towards immigrants, the perceived role of women and national policies to integrate migrants [Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX)]. The data are drawn from the European Social Survey (ESS) for 2010–2018. Our results are based on ordinary least squares (OLS) and logit estimates; multilevel analysis was conducted.FindingsWe find significant evidence of gender role transmission from mother to daughter; age at immigration seems to be crucial to examine the importance of the culture of origin among immigrants. However, females are responsive to attitudes toward immigrants and gender equality in receiving societies, while integration policies, by defining the set of opportunities, may contribute to both genders’ tertiary education and women’s probability of being in the labor force.Social implicationsThis work underlines that integration policies favoring equal rights as nationals may contribute to both women’s tertiary education and their probability of being in the labor force.Originality/valueWe explore female integration in Europe in the dimensions of education, labor market, fertility and the role of both immigrants’ cultural heritage and specific aspects of destination countries. Previous research, particularly in the USA, has generally focused on some of these features at the expense of a more comprehensive approach. This study builds upon the existing literature and contributes to it by taking a multifaceted approach to female integration in Western Europe, which presents not only an institutional context different from the USA but also some heterogeneity with respect to integration policies and socioeconomic factors.

What Does It Take for Immigrants to Join Political Parties?

Political parties are crucial agents in democratic representation and political integration of persons of immigrant origin, a growing category of citizens in the European Union. Research demonstrates that citizens of immigrant origin are less likely to join political parties than persons without a migratory background. Nevertheless, party membership varies across countries and between immigrants. Accounting for such inter-individual and cross-national variations, this article uses secondary data from the European Social Survey, the Migrant Integration Policy Index, and the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project for 25 European democracies to uncover mechanisms that explain the party membership of immigrants. In our multilevel analysis, we test interactions between country-specific variations in legislation on migration policies on the one hand and individual differences in political socialisation and political efficacy on the other. Our models suggest significant positive effects of exposure to a democratic regime in the country of origin and of internal efficacy on party membership of citizens of immigrant origin. Additionally, our findings highlight the significance of an inclusive national framework for immigrant integration, serving as a moderator to diminish the impact of political socialisation in less democratic countries on the decision of citizens with immigrant backgrounds to participate in political parties within their country of residence.

Understanding public support for workplace diversity and antidiscrimination policies in Europe.

Societal processes and public opinion can affect whether employers take action and which policy measures they choose to boost diversity, equal opportunities and inclusion, and to reduce discrimination in the workplace. Yet, public opinion regarding workplace diversity initiatives (other than affirmative action) has so far received little scholarly attention, especially in Europe. Consequently, we have very little evidence about how the general public feels about workplace diversity policies - particularly those that are more common or more often discussed in Europe - and about which factors shape public support for these workplace diversity initiatives. Yet, a better understanding of the patterns and antecedents of citizens' attitudes toward workplace diversity policies is of clear scientific and practical importance. Against this background, this study sheds light on public attitudes toward three different, commonly applied types of workplace diversity policies, and examines which individual-level and - innovatively - national-level conditions shape public support. To do so, we bring together insights from various different and so far largely disconnected strands of research and a range of theoretical perspectives. We use large-scale, representative survey data from two pooled waves of the Eurobarometer, covering 38,009 citizens across 26 European countries. We enrich these data with information on national-level income inequality as well as countries' labor market and antidiscrimination legislation and policies, obtained from Eurostat and the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). Results show significant differences in public support across the three types of policies, with the strongest support for diversity training, followed closely by monitoring recruitment procedures, whereas support for monitoring workforce composition is clearly lower. This is in line with the idea that support tends to be lower for more preferential and prescriptive workplace policies. Furthermore, we find that, in addition to individual-level factors - particularly gender, ethnic minority group membership, personal experiences with discrimination, prejudice, intergroup contact and political orientation - national-level conditions are important antecedents of public support for workplace diversity policies. That is, differences in public attitudes regarding such policies are also shaped by country-level income inequalities, people's perceptions of how widespread discrimination and unequal opportunities are in society, and national-level laws and policies to fight unequal opportunities.

Challenges of integration of immigrant students into Slovenian primary schools—Perspectives of teachers and other professionals

The primary school sector, where educational and socialization activities occur, is the first and most important sector for integrating migrant students into a new environment. Nevertheless, the 2019 Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) for Slovenia concludes that while Slovenian integration policies provide equality on a legal or theoretical level, they do not fully integrate immigrants into society. Therefore, this research has answered the main research question with a methodologically empirical analysis based on semi-structured interviews with teachers or other professionals in selected primary schools. The study examines the integration of immigrant students into Slovenian primary education, specifically within the pedagogical framework. It explores the challenges encountered by pedagogical and professional staff in this context, as well as the experiences of immigrant students and the overall classroom community throughout the educational process, as reported by the interviewees.

The arrival of Ukrainian refugees as an opportunity to advance migrant integration policy

ABSTRACT The Czech Republic has received the largest number of Ukrainian refugees per capita. An underdeveloped migrant integration policy and limited experience with large numbers of refugees hampered the Czechs’ willingness to help. The reception phase relied heavily on crisis teams, volunteers, and civil society organizations. Accommodating structural measures became necessary. This article takes a closer look at these changes and explains how the large number of Ukrainian refugees constitutes an “external shock” that has shaped Czech migrant integration policy in several key aspects. We also examine the role of international organizations in shaping migrant integration policy. We use the research framework of historical institutionalism, applying retrograde analysis, desk research and deep semi-structured interviews. Our results show that migration policy has been skewed in the short-term towards better acceptance of migrants, but we can identify a tendency towards a return to the original trajectory. We also find that international organizations have not had a substantial influence on recent changes in migrant integration policy; domestic actors have had a much greater influence.

Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants in Greece and Italy: Language Requirements and Learning Opportunities in L2 Greek and L2 Italian

Migration has almost always been accompanied by language-related processes and concerns. Integration dimensions interact with numerous language-related issues, such as language requirements and learning opportunities, and the purpose of our paper is situated in the broader field of linguistic integration of adult refugees and migrants in Greece and Italy. Greece and Italy share a double role both as host and transition countries, as two of the main EU entry points for refugees and migrants since the 2015 refugee crisis, and therefore they have been selected as two suitable cases to be further explored. This paper aims to give an overview of the language requirements and language-learning opportunities in the migration context in Greece and Italy. Through our comprehensive review of language requirements and language-learning opportunities in Greece and Italy, we have undertaken an examination of the two contexts employing a comparative approach to scrutinize the processes of linguistic integration. The information presented has shown that similar linguistic requirements are set in both countries although the use and implementation of the Knowledge of Society (KoS) tests seem to discriminate between the two contexts. The results agree with similar findings through indexes such as the Language Policy Index for Migrants (LAPIM) and the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX).

Integration within national documents: An examination of early childhood education curriculum of five high-achieving countries of MIPEX

International migration, although interrupted slightly by the travel restrictions due to Covid-19, is still quite common and influential resulting in cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity within countries. Designing educational settings that meet the needs of a diverse population is crucial in promoting integration of migrant newcomers. By promoting integration through specific policies, countries may eliminate inequality, poverty, and injustice. National documents can provide information that represents these policies. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the early childhood education curriculum of the top five countries ranked in the educational integration domain of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). Document analysis method was used to determine the reflections of integration policy. It was concluded that integration is promoted through target curricula by specific focus on democratic and humanitarian values and rights. Also, flexibility of the curricula allowed practitioners to adapt their practices based on local needs. Thus, according to these results, several implications were provided for future research and practice.

A near-mint view toward integration: Are adolescents more inclusive than adults?

The increasing ethnic and cultural diversity of contemporary societies has raised the importance of integration policies for people with a migrant background. Tools like the Migrant Integration Policy Index have been developed to evaluate different countries' integration approaches. If, on the one hand, focusing on what governments are doing to promote integration is necessary, on the other hand, it is of utmost importance to consider individuals' attitudes toward these policies. Study 1: A pilot study with 356 adolescents (41.1% female, 58.9% male; Mage = 15.38) and 200 adults (69% female, 31% male; Mage = 47.43) was conducted to test the psychometric proprieties of the Attitudes Toward Migrant Integration Policies scale. Study 2: A total of 1,156 adolescents (51.6% female, 48.4% male; Mage = 15.69), 1,288 parents (56.9% mothers, 43.1% fathers; Mage = 49.39), and 284 teachers (68.3% female, 31.7% male; Mage = 45.55) were involved in a study to evaluate how attitudes toward integration policies differ within generations (e.g., ethnic majority and minority groups), within families (e.g., adolescents vs. their fathers), and across generational groups (i.e., adolescents, parents, and teachers). Latent mean comparisons indicated that attitudes toward integration policies varied significantly across sex (for adolescents and parents), ethnic background (parents only), and school track (adolescents) groups. Regarding differences within family dyads, adolescents reported more positive attitudes toward integration policies than their fathers and mothers. Finally, teachers showed more positive attitudes compared to adolescents and their parents. Overall, this study highlights nuanced intergenerational differences, with adolescents standing in between the different positions of their parents and teachers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Boundary integrationism and its subject: shifts and continuities in the EU framework on migrant integration

ABSTRACT The European Union emerged as an important actor in debates on ‘migrant integration’, yet remains understudied. This paper critically maps the EU Framework on migrant integration, outlining the ruptures and continuities that have shaped EU’s approach to ‘diversity governance’ in the past three decades. I propose a typology of the (sometimes opposing) discourses that converge in the EU migrant integration policy, differentiating between neoliberal, egalitarian (welfarist), securitarian and boundary integrationism. I argue that while the early predominantly welfarist and neoliberal discourse on integration was only vaguely interested in questions of values and identity, the recent reformulation of the EU’s integrationist strategy represents a break from universalist ideas of a ‘European community’. In particular, the Commission under von der Leyen adopted a more nativist and securitarian discourse that frames ‘integration’ as a wager in an alleged civilizationist clash between the liberal and the ‘illiberal’ world. I argue that the rising importance of adherence to liberal values as a proxy for ‘integration’, the reinvention of ‘European values’ as cultural values springing from the Judeo-Christian liberal tradition, and drawing new boundaries around the subject of integration are three developments that amount to an important shift in the European Union’s migration and integration agenda.

Integration policies and migrants' labour market outcomes: a local perspective based on different regional configurations in the EU

Migrants’ integration process and their labour market inclusion occur within distinct local contexts. However, the existing literature has paid little attention to the role of the local context and its relationship with national-level policy outcomes on migrant integration. This study addresses this gap by using new regional (NUTS-2) data from Eurostat and integration policy data from MIPEX, coupled with multivariate analyses. We investigate how national-level integration policies are related to the employment rate gap between migrants and country nationals, and how this relationship varies depending on the local context. Results show that migrant integration policies exhibit no association with this gap in low-competitive, culturally homogeneous and rural regions. Conversely, integration policies are associated with a larger gap in high-competitive and diverse urban regions. Notably, consistent with previous national-level literature, inclusive integration policies are associated with negative outcomes for migrants compared to country nationals. However, a shift toward more inclusive policies is found to reduce this gap, suggesting that inclusive policies may be a response to a widening divide between country nationals and migrants. This study offers valuable insights into the role of regional configurations and the impact of national-level integration policies on migrants' labor market outcomes, providing a local perspective that enhances our understanding of migrant integration processes.

LABOUR MIGRATION OF THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS TO LITHUANIA: RECENT TRENDS AND SOCIAL POLICY RESPONSES

The purpose of the paper is to discuss recent immigration trends, and the policies that have been adopted by the state to facilitate the process of the integration of immigrants and their access to the labour market. The first part of the paper discusses theoretical aspects of migration, and labour migration in particular. The second part of the paper is aimed at disclosing current immigration trends among third-country nationals in Lithuania. Labour migration and the migration policy framework in Lithuania are analysed, as are integration policies. The research results reveal that Lithuania lacks an effective migrant integration policy. The evaluation of the migration policy index allows us to conclude that the policy of the integration of immigrants is the area of migration policy that needs to be improved the most in Lithuania. Lithuania’s score is lower than the average MIPEX country score, and together with Latvia it is one of the lowest in Central and East European countries. Lithuania’s approach to integration is classified by MIPEX as equality on paper. While immigrants enjoy basic rights and protection in Lithuania, they do not enjoy equal opportunities to participate in society.

Relationship between immigrant integration and socioeconomic indicators of European immigrant-receiving countries

Integration is a two-way process depending on host countries, and the immigrants. Immigrants' successful integration in the host countries is an important issue bringing benefits for both immigrants and the host countries. Immigrants receiving countries' migration policies, actions, and peoples' perception towards accepting foreign citizens is an essential factor in the successful integration process. However, the integration process in a specific geographical region, such as Europe, also differs from one country to another. The integration process depends on the socioeconomic position, and development of the host and home countries. It also depends on the types of migration, migrants' status, etc. Therefore, this study tries to investigate and explain the typology and socioeconomic characteristics of European immigrant receiving countries regarding integration policies. It discusses the relationship between Human Development Index, Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Social Progress Index, Gross National Income, Internet users % of the population, Ranking of Happiness, Happiness Ranking for the Foreign-Born, KOF Globalization index, and Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). This study uses a descriptive-analytical method, to show the socioeconomic characteristics of European immigrant-receiving countries. To show the strength of the relationship between the indexes, the study used pairwise correlation analysis (sig. level, 0.01). The main results of the study show that Northern and Western European countries have more favorable integration policies for immigrants than Southern and Eastern European countries. Moreover, there is a mutual positive interrelationship between all the indexes. The happier the citizens of the host countries are, the happier the immigrants are and the more favorable the integration policies are for immigrants.

Roles of Social Protection to Promote Health Service Coverage among Vulnerable People toward Achieving Universal Health Coverage: A Literature Review of International Organizations.

A wider range of social protection services, including social insurance and social assistance, are gaining global attention as a key driver of improved health service coverage and financial protection among vulnerable populations. However, only a few studies have investigated the associations between social protection and universal health coverage (UHC). Therefore, we conducted a literature review on relevant international organizations with respect to this topic. We found that many international organizations consider the wide range of social protection services, including social insurance and social assistance, essential for achieving UHC in 2030. In specific health programs, social protection is considered an important service to promote health service access and financial protection, especially among vulnerable populations. However, discussions about social protection for achieving UHC are not given high priority in the World Health Organization. Currently, the coverage of social protection services is low among vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries. To address this issue, we employed the metrics recommended by the migrant integration policy index (MIPEX). Based on our findings, a conceptual framework was developed. We expect this framework to lead synergy between social protection and health systems around the globe, resulting in healthy ageing.