Migration Policy Research Articles

Modern state migration policy models: migration protectionism as a factor of migration attractiveness

The choice of the model of migration policy of a modern state depends on various aspects, both in the economic, demographic and political planes. A rationally chosen model of migration policy allows you to ensure the effectiveness of managing migration flows and achieving optimal socio-economic development of the state, minimizing risks in the field of national security. The study examines various approaches to typologizing the models of migration policy of a modern state, and also provides an author's classification of migration policy models characteristic of states receiving migrants. Migration protectionism is cited as a key criterion for the author's typology of models, which, within the framework of the migration regime of a particular state, has a significant impact on the level of its migration attractiveness, based on the norms of acts of national migration legislation and ratified international agreements. Migration protectionism is considered as a result of the activities of the authorities of the receiving state of migrants, directly forming the migration regime. At the same time, the level of preferences in relation to various categories of migrants and types of migration acts as a mechanism for differentiating external migration according to various criteria, among which one can single out the purpose of entry, the state of origin, the level of qualifications of external migrants, knowledge of the language, which makes it possible to stimulate the demanded migration and limit unwanted. The study of migration protectionism as one of the instruments of the migration policy of the state makes it possible to identify the conceptual foundations of the formed migration regime, determine the types of foreign migration in demand and predict the trends in further political and legal regulation of state migration policy.

Youth migration as a challenge to the socio-economic development of the Russian Far East: Evidence from the Amur Oblast

Subject. This article discusses the areas of regional policy to create conditions for improving the migration attractiveness of the Russian Far East. Objectives. The article aims to assess the scale and factors of migration activity of young people, and analyze its impact on the socio-economic development of the Russian Far East. Methods. For the study, we used a statistical analysis. Results. The article finds that young people of the Amur Oblast are inclined to migrate to receive quality education, employment, and improve living conditions. This trend has a significant impact on the demographic situation and economic prospects of the Oblast, leading to a brain drain and reduction in the labor force in key sectors of the economy. The article offers recommendations for regional authorities related to the social infrastructure's improvement, development of educational programmes, and the creation of jobs for young people. Conclusions. The study confirms the need to develop and implement a targeted migration policy that takes into account the specifics of socio-economic transformations in the Russian Far East regions.

Security-centric approach in the use of digital technologies in EU migration and asylum policies

ABSTRACT The rapid evolution of digital technology, particularly in the domain of surveillance and identification, has brought forth a multitude of implications for the European Union’s approach to migration, asylum and border control. The use of digital technologies at the EU's external borders has emerged as a critical point of contention. By referring to ‘security-centric approach’ to describe the expansion of national security-related uses of digital technologies in migration and asylum, the article unveils the extent to which security considerations have permeated the use of digital technologies in this area. The analysis aims to demonstrate the predominance of this security focus and only a marginal role of efficiency, convenience and market needs objectives in the use of digital technologies in EU migration, asylum and border control policies.

Bye bye Moria: escape commons vs policies of military campization

Over the period from 2013 to 2020, the Moria camp in the island of Lesvos became synonymous with the exclusionary border control policies of the Greek state and the European Union. During the summer of 2020, most Covid-19 travel restrictions were lifted and Lesvos opened to tourists, while the Moria camp remained in lockdown. On the night of 8 September, the camp was set on fire and its residents escaped in a nearby area where they self-organized a makeshift settlement. The escape was followed by days of riots with police forces, and ended with the violent enclosure of the people in a new camp. The paper builds on critical migration scholarship and proposes the concepts of escape commons and military campization in order to conceptualize the commoning practices in moments of escape and the way they are susceptible to state migration policies which increasingly take the form of military management.

RETURN MIGRATION OF VIETNAMESE FROM CAMBODIA: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Over several decades, a combination of historical, economic, and political factors have influenced the multifaceted phenomenon of Vietnamese return migration from Cambodia. This article examines the return migration of Vietnamese from a historical perspective with document and contextual analysis, revealing a broader picture of the socio-economic and political dynamics in Cambodia and the historical relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam. Before the 1990s, return migration was significantly influenced by colonial-era migration policies and pervasive anti-Vietnamese sentiments. These factors led to violent repression and forced evictions under regimes such as Lon Nol and the Khmer Rouge, profoundly impacting the Vietnamese community in Cambodia. In contrast, administrative governance and economic factors have become the key determinants of Vietnamese return migration in the contemporary period. Understanding the underlying causes and mechanisms that create the situation for Vietnamese in Cambodia and their return is crucial, serving as a basis for addressing their current challenges and promoting their social integration in both countries.

Out of sight, out of mind? The bipartisan Australian foreign policy on irregular migration

ABSTRACT Australian foreign policy traditionally claims middle power and good international citizenship credentials, although it also resorts to unilateral actions due to its deep-rooted condition of ‘frightened country’. This article argues that the country's irregular migration governance embodies this tension, and thus seeks to shed light on this increasingly-neglected aspect of Australian external engagement. Following a theoretical understanding of Australian foreign policy, it investigates the country's irregular migration policies between 2000 and 2024. The article finds that there is a strong continuity in such policies irrespective of the type of government in power, supported by foreign policy bipartisanship, resulting in specific foreign policy tools to stem seaborne arrivals. These include military missions; territorial excisions from the migration zone; offshore processing and/or externalisation agreements with Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka; pushback manoeuvres, and at-sea processing of asylum claims. Inevitably, such measures complicate Australia's international status as they emphasise the uneasy coexistence of both the globalist middle power and the self-interested nation images in its foreign policy, therefore warranting new research on this under-examined condition.

Migration policies and labor mobility in Africa

Labor migration appears to be one of today's solutions to the socio-economic and cultural imbalance in Africa. Its contribution to the growing interconnection of the world over the last century through the commercialization of raw materials is undoubtedly significant, given the relief it has brought to most economies in Africa and beyond. Unfortunately, a panoramic look at the legal atmosphere that hangs over labor migration in Africa leaves one wondering. The aim of this study, which complements many others already carried out on the subject, is to determine the appropriate legal interpretation of migration policies and labor mobility in Africa. According to the results of the analysis and comparison of regional and sub-regional policy frameworks and the various state practices developed in the field of labor migration, a mixed reading reveals that the genuine political will to encourage labor mobility, affirmed at supra-state level, remains inconsistent at state level.

Perceived loneliness: Why are Syrian refugees more lonely than other newly arrived migrants in Germany?

Migration often impacts the mental and emotional health of those needing to move from their home countries. Studies have focused on migrants’ levels of distress or well-being, and recent research looks at older migrants’ experience with loneliness. What has yet to be researched is how different migrant groups experience loneliness, and how these feelings are affected by the contexts of leaving one country and reception in another. Drawing on the theoretical framework of integration, this article asks whether newly arrived refugees in Germany differ in their perception of loneliness from other newly arrived migrants. It examines these perceptions as related to social contacts and the context—and interplay—of exit and reception. Using OLS regressions with data from the Recent Immigration Processes and Early Integration Trajectories in Germany (ENTRA) project, we find that Syrian refugees have higher levels of loneliness than migrant groups from Poland, Italy, and Turkey. The difference is largely attributable to Syrians not having local German contacts, surviving traumatic experiences at home, and migrating specifically for physical safety. We also find that discrimination and not being in the labor force are determinants of loneliness across all four groups, and that even when considering migrant origins and other effects, having local social contacts lowers levels of loneliness. Our results point to migration policies, such as those related to family reunification and labor market access, for producing inequalities in loneliness between Syrian refugees and other migrants in Germany.

US Migration Crisis and Its Consequences for the 2024 Presidential Elections

The evolution of US migration policy has run several cycles: at first, the fate of immigrants was the responsibility of the employer (companies, who brought them to the USA), then, with an increase in their influx and their gradual resettlement, the lives of newcomers began to be determined at the state level. Only at the end of the 19th century migration regulation began to acquire the features of the federal government’s established policy with a vector towards liberalization throughout the next century. Starting from the 2010s there is a reverse trend – back to restrictionism and ‘descend’ of the regulation to the level of state authorities, especially for illegal immigrants. Such shift causes a clash between states and federal government, and at the same time emphasises the inability of this government to carry out objectively aspired reform.Today immigration policy in the United States can be divided into two major areas: legal immigration regulation and government attempts to solve the problem of illegal immigration. This division, albeit conditionally, helps to understand why for 30 years now no Congress has been able to work out a comprehensive immigration reform or at least agree on key areas for the implementation of its’ certain aspects. A set of acute problems of socio-economic, moral and ethical nature forms an inseparable set of challenges. It equally includes both the areas necessary for the country’s successful economic development: highly qualified personnel attraction, aging of the nation combating, increase of the birth rate, and the challenges associated with the burden on society and the increase in crime: the influx of refugees, illegal, seasonal and permanent immigrants and their families.Due to domestic political peculiarities in the modern United States, party coalitions cannot agree on even one of these areas, let alone develop a profound working system that meets constantly changing needs of the economy, foreign policy challenges, and is in consensus with states’ authorities, who would finally assimilate newcomers.Will the current crisis on the southwestern border of the United States affect J. Biden’s reelection in November 2024? What strategy has D. Trump chosen to bypass his rival? – you will find from this article.

Effectiveness of demographic policy measures in addressing population decline in contemporary Russia

Demographic policy is one of the key tasks of almost any state at the present time. It correlates with the solution of pressing problems in the economic and social spheres, directly depends on the state of healthcare, education, migration policy and other factors and directly affects the socio-economic development of both individual regions and the country as a whole. Many Russian and foreign researchers believe that demographic indicators very accurately reflect the socio-economic and political situation of the state. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that for the progressive socio-economic development of any country, positive demographic dynamics are necessary. The main sign of the negative demographic situation that has developed in modern Russia and a number of countries, primarily European, is the growing scale of depopulation (population extinction). The purpose of this work was to analyze the existing demographic policy of Russia and compare demographic trends in Russia and other countries. The work uses methods of statistical data analysis, comparison of statistical indicators of fertility, mortality, natural population decline, migration, marriage rates in Russia and the Republic of Srpska, methods of retrospective analysis, research of the institutional environment created by the action of state and national programs “Demography”, “Providing accessible and comfortable housing and public services for citizens of the Russian Federation”, “Strategy of socio-economic development for the period until 2024”, Presidential decrees, etc. Research has shown that despite measures taken to overcome the demographic crisis, Russia’s population continues to decline. According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation (Rosstat), as of 1 January 2023, 146.45 million people lived in Russia. By 1 January 2046, according to a Rosstat forecast published in October 2023 the country’s population will decrease to 138.77 million people. To solve demographic problems in the Russian Federation, a national project “Demography” was developed and approved. The government has allocated more than 3 trillion rubles for its implementation. However, it is not possible to completely overcome the negative trend. The authors proposed a number of economic and ideological measures within the framework of agglomeration, migration, and family support policies that can be used within the framework of socio-economic development strategies and national programs aimed at overcoming the demographic crisis.

Social Media and ‘Japa’ Syndrome: Exploring the Roles of Online Platforms in Shaping Migration Trends

Social media platforms have emerged as influential players in shaping japa trends, offering a dynamic space where individuals explore, discuss, and navigate migration pathways. By providing unprecedented access to information, facilitating networking and connections, showcasing aspirational lifestyles, and amplifying migration narratives, social media platforms exert a significant influence on individuals’ migration trajectories. In the light of the above, this study examines social media and japa syndrome by exploring the roles of online platforms in shaping migration trends. The study was anchored on the uses and gratification theory, and data were collected using the desk research method. Findings reveal that social media has significantly altered the landscape of communication and information dissemination globally, including Nigeria. The study also reveals that online platforms play a crucial role in shaping migration trends and aspirations by influencing individuals’ perceptions, providing access to information, and facilitating connections with diaspora communities and potential destinations. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that online platforms should implement robust mechanisms to verify the accuracy and credibility of migration-related information shared on their platforms. This can involve partnering with reputable organizations such as international agencies, academic institutions, and government bodies to ensure that users have access to reliable and up-to-date information about migration processes, policies, and destinations.

Commodifying Passage: Ethnographic Insights into Migration, Markets, and Digital Mediation at the Darién Gap and Mexico–Guatemala Border

This paper examines transit migration through the Darién Gap and the Mexico–Guatemala border, focusing on the commodification of migration, the transformative role of digital platforms, and the socio-economic impacts on local economies. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews conducted from 2021 to 2023, we explore how migration has evolved into a commodified journey where services and safety are bought and sold, often exploiting migrants’ vulnerabilities. We analyze how digital platforms have become essential tools for navigation and community building among migrants, yet also introduce new risks and inequalities. Our findings highlight the dual nature of local economic adaptations, which both capitalize on and are reshaped by the migratory flows, leading to significant economic and social transformations. The paper argues for a reevaluation of migration policies that integrates these elements and supports a migration governance framework that prioritizes human dignity and rights. Through exposing these dynamic and interlinked phenomena, we aim to contribute to a better understanding of migration that goes beyond traditional paradigms of border security and control, advocating for policies that are just, equitable, and respectful of human experiences and challenges.

State of Disaster: The Failure of U.S. Migration Policy in an Age of Climate Change

State of Disaster: The Failure of U.S. Migration Policy in an Age of Climate Change

Assessing current trends in the region: Democracy, authoritarianism, migration, employment, climate change, and foreign policy

Assessing current trends in the region: Democracy, authoritarianism, migration, employment, climate change, and foreign policy

Social needs and problems of forced migrants from Ukraine on the way to social adaptation and integration in the host society (example of Germany)

The article provides a review of existing theoretical approaches to the study of adaptation and integration of migrants, identifying key factors that either facilitate or complicate these processes in host societies. The authors highlight markers of adaptability and integration, emphasizing the importance of utilizing foreign experience for the development of more effective migration policies. Adaptation is a process in which migrants change their habits, behaviour, and values to function most effectively in a new social and cultural context. The authors believe that the level of migrant adaptability can be determined by the level of their needs satisfaction. Integration, alongside adaptation, implies inclusion into a new society with opportunities to realize personal potential in areas such as work, education, civic activities, establishing communication, and comfortable coexistence with the local population. This entails not only the adaptation of migrants to a new society but also mutual efforts from the host community to create conditions under which migrants can fully realize their potential while preserving their cultural peculiarities. Based on primary and secondary sociological data, the social needs and problems of migrants from Ukraine (using Germany as an example) are analysed. The profile of migrants, reasons for leaving Ukraine, and choosing Germany as the host country (based on the «push-pull» theory) are identified. Lack of language knowledge and local laws, bureaucracy, access of children to preschool institutions and their schooling, unfavourable psychological state and uncertainty about the future, recognition of acquired education, working in positions with lower qualifications, difficulties in forming new social connections - these are the main obstacles that migrants from Ukraine face in Germany on their way to adaptation and integration.

THE CONCEPT OF SECURITY IN GERMAN FOREIGN POLICY

The Ukrainian crisis escalation in February 2022 became an impetus for securitizing German foreign and domestic policies. An appeal to the notion of security is present in most significant discussions on the state development. Germany’s national security strategy securitized all major spheres of life in German society, making security a universal and comprehensive concept. This is also reflected in other guiding documents, such as the White Paper of the Bundeswehr, the Guiding Principles of Feminist Foreign Policy, the Cybersecurity Strategy. The «change of eras» concept announced by Olaf Scholz updated the security debate by addressing traditional military threats, launching a general revision of the security concept in German politics. Consequently, the boundaries of use of the security concept have expanded, making it commonly used by all participants of domestic political debates and, at the same time, significantly relativizing it. An illustrative example is the migration crisis, where both supporters and opponents of Berlin’s liberal migration policy appeal to German security interests. The further development of the security concept in German foreign policy will be determined by the development of the party-political system of the country, Berlin’s role in key international crises (Ukrainian conflict, Palestinian-Israeli conflict), and processes within German society.

STATE MIGRATION POLICY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION: FEATURES OF EXTERNAL MIGRATION IN THE POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD

The purpose of this study is to determine the features of one of the most significant areas of Russian migration policy - external migration, in the context of the lifting of restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the statistical information published by the executive authorities, it was possible to analyze data on external migration for 2022 and 2023, which allows us to affirmatively speak not only about the recovery in the volume of external migration characteristic of the period 2018-2019, but also about the existing trends in the increase in external migrations, primarily from Central Asian states. Such trends are due to the high level of migration attractiveness of modern Russia, which is characterized by the peculiarities of the migration regime implemented within the framework of existing international agreements with the Central Asian states of the post-Soviet space, concluded back in the 1990s, but also by certain provisions of the national migration legislation, which forms a special level of migration preferences for citizens of such states. At the same time, the migration system of the Russian Federation has several levels of implementation of migration policy, which allows, with the effective use of existing legal mechanisms at the regional level, to ensure the solution of the tasks of managing migration processes, in order to prevent a number of migration risks of mass external migration, namely replacement migration of the local population, the formation of places of compact residence of foreigners, the development of diasporas, the criminalization of immigrant communities, as well as the creation of tension in the labor market.

Do Remittances Have Asymmetric Impacts on Human Development? Panel Evidence from South Asia

Globally, the remittances have increased significantly recently, most of which have gone to developing countries. In light of recent evidence of the role of remittances in economic development, it is pertinent to investigate how human development responds to remittances. Based on human capital and investment decision theory, the present study investigates the short and long-run asymmetric impacts on human development for six South Asian countries from 1990 to 2021 using the panel asymmetric autoregressive distributive lag model (PNARDL). A robustness check has been done using the dynamic common correlated effect pooled mean group effect model (CCEPMG). The direction of causality is examined using a panel dynamic heterogenous model. The result of this study indicates that remittances have a significant short and long-run asymmetric impact supporting the human capital and investment decision theory. Results suggest positive shocks promote human development while negative shocks have the opposite effect. Causality results suggest a two-way relationship supporting remittance-led human capital development in South Asia. In line with the above findings, the study recommends encouraging higher remittances and integrating development policies with migration policies to promote education, health, and human development.

Благотворительные аспекты миграционной политики Российского государства в условиях специальной военной операции

The article analyzes the trends in the development of the migration policy of the state at the present stage: a separate aspect of the legal status of forced migrants from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Ukraine is singled out; unprecedented measures of support from both the state and civil society were noted. The author points to the solidarity of the Russian people; his traditional features of charity and mercy, manifested in the new reality.

Current labor market in the EU and Ukraine: trends, problems, forecasting and solutions

The labor market is one of the economy changing components, it is quite similar to the market for goods and services, but instead of the demand and supply of goods, there is a demand and supply of labor, knowledge, skills and abilities that are supplied by the employee. The EU, in turn, is known for its openness to immigrants and the employment of third-country nationals. This creates new opportunities and challenges for workers and employers. Labor market research helps to understand the impact of immigration on labor markets. Covid-19 has actually become that springboard on the way to changes in the economies and labor markets of countries around the world. Transformations and changes that were just emerging until 2020 (this may safely include digitalization, automation, the spread of remote employment, etc.) will further intensify under the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war and lead to a significant redistribution of workers between sectors. In general, labor market research in the EU and Ukraine helps countries to understand and respond to various challenges and opportunities related to employment, labor migration, economic development and social policy. The purpose of our work is to identify trends and problems that exist at the present stage of development of the labor market, as well as to forecast the further development of the labor market at the level of the European Union and Ukraine