Biography

Martin Ruhs is Professor of Migration Studies and Deputy Director of the Migration Policy Centre (MPC) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. He was previously Professor of Political Economy at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on the economics and politics of international migration, with a strong international comparative dimension. In recent years, he has been particularly interested in the sources and management of value conflicts in migration policies; the nature and implications of political feasibility constraints; and how national institutions –such as national labour regulations, welfare states, and associated social norms– shape individuals’ and host country responses to migration.

Ruhs is the author or co-editor of several books, including The Price of Rights: Regulating International Labor Migration (Princeton University Press 2013), Bridging the Gaps: Linking Research to Public Debates and Policy Making on Migration and Integration (Oxford University Press 2019), and Who Needs Migrant Workers? Labour Shortages, Immigration and Public Policy (Oxford University Press 2010). His research is also published in leading academic journals, such as International Organization, Journal of European Public Policy, Industrial & Labor Relations Review, and the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.

Alongside his research, Ruhs frequently advises national governments and international institutions. He recently led the EU-funded ‘PRIME’ project on irregular migration (2023–2026) and co-authored policy studies for the Council of Europe on future European policies toward people displaced from Ukraine (2026), and for the European Parliament on the rights of irregular migrant workers (2022). A frequent contributor to public debates, he has written for the New York Times, Financial Times, Guardian, and Irish Times.

Research topics: Economics and politics of international migration
Geographic areas: Europe, North America, Asia

Recent research output

• Authors: DETLEFSEN, Lena;RUHS, Martin
  Norms, not just interests : public support for migrant rights protections in Europe-Africa cooperation on irregular migration - Article

• Authors: YAZICI, Eda;ANDERSON, Bridget;RUHS, Martin
  Institutional contexts of employers' use of irregular migrant labour : evidence from five European countries - Technical Report

• Editors: BAUBÖCK, Rainer;MOURAO PERMOSER, Julia;RUHS, Martin;SCHMID, Lukas Nepomuk
  Debating anti-immigrant backlash - Working Paper

• Authors: POESCHEL, Friedrich Gerd;BOLAND, Colleen;DE LANGE, Tesseltje;RUHS, Martin;SAKA-HELMHOUT, Ayse
  Engaging the private sector in global skills partnerships : exploring the potential of international business-to-business approaches - Working Paper

• Authors: DETLEFSEN, Lena;RUHS, Martin
  Public support for international cooperation on irregular migration : can reciprocity mitigate asymmetric national interests? - Working Paper

• Authors: SCHMID, Lukas Nepomuk;RUHS, Martin;BAUBÖCK, Rainer;MOURAO PERMOSER, Julia
  Beyond myth busting : how engagement with ethical dilemmas can improve debates and policymaking on migration - Article

• Authors: DRAŽANOVÁ, Lenka;RUHS, Martin
  The moral conflict underpinning public perceptions of fairness in asylum decision-making - Working Paper

• Authors: BAAS, Henriët;RUHS, Martin;MANSCHEIN, Siegfried;BOURROUSSE, Hugo
  Measuring the legal implementation of the EU's Temporary Protection Directive for displaced persons from Ukraine : convergence and divergence across 32 European countries - Working Paper

• Authors: GSCHWIND, Lutz;RUHS, Martin;AHLEN, Anton;PALME, Joakim
  Public preferences for policies vis-à-vis irregular migrants in Europe : the roles of policy design and context - Technical Report

• Authors: DRAŽANOVÁ, Lenka;RUHS, Martin
  Understanding public perceptions of fairness in asylum decision-making - Other