What role do employers play in migration policy?
Migration, labour markets and welfare states
We investigate the link between migration, labour markets, and welfare states, analysing migrant labour laws in practice and on paper, the fiscal effects of labour migration, determinants of labour supply and demand, and the impact of welfare policies.
Highlights: This past year our work has:
- provided insights into the financial impact of EU migrants in various welfare systems in Europe, revealing that EU migrants (EU citizens who move to different parts of the EU) contribute positively to the economies in Western European countries, with no significant differences observed across different welfare regimes;
- highlighted the discrepancy in job expectations for recent Ukrainian forced migrants in Europe, who are assigned roles similar to those of previous Ukrainian labor migrants despite differences in education and qualifications;
- showed that greater reciprocity in national social protection measures reduces public opposition to EU labour immigration, particularly among the unemployed.
Upcoming Priorities: Over the next year we are working to
- identify the factors that contribute to the reliance on migrant labour in essential sectors across European countries.
- understand irregular migrants’ employment opportunities and working conditions and how they compare to those of migrants with regular status.
Explore more
Featured Publication
- Free Movement versus European Welfare States? Variations of the Fiscal Effects of EU Migrants across Welfare State Regimes – Marcus Österman, Joakim Palme and Martin Ruhs