Migration Policy Debates and Data Briefs

In 4 pages, the Migration Policy Debates offer a comprehensive overview of latest developments in policies that deal with migration management and integration.

The Migration Data Briefs bring statistical evidence from recent trends.

The Inform series are jointly published by the OECD and the European Migration Network (EMN).

The Policy Briefs bringing together data, analysis and recommendations address current issues in migration policy.

What we know about the skills and early labour market outcomes of refugees from Ukraine (Policy Brief, January 2023) This policy response outlines the existing evidence on the socio-economic profiles and labour market integration of Ukrainian refugees in OECD countries as well as relevant policies to further support labour market integration. Findings suggest that the labour market inclusion of Ukrainian refugees has been faster compared to other refugee groups, but that skills mismatches are widespread.

What has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrants? An updated on recent evidence (Policy Brief, September 2022) Following a first OECD policy brief published after the first wave (OECD, 2020[1]), this policy brief provides new evidence on the impact of the pandemic on immigrant integration in terms of health, labour market outcomes and training, as OECD countries start to recover from the crisis.

The potential contribution of Ukrainian refugees to the labour force in European host countries (Policy Brief, July 2022) This policy brief reviews the distribution of Ukrainian refugees across European countries and their demographic characteristics. It discusses the existing evidence about the labour market integration of refugees, and applies this information to the case of Ukrainian refugees to provide estimates of the number of active and employed Ukrainian refugees in European countries by the end of 2022 and compares these results to the impact of previous large inflows of refugees, in particular the 2014-17 arrivals.

Housing support for Ukrainian refugees in receiving countries (Policy Brief, July 2022) This policy brief presents an overview of specific policy decisions taken by these countries regarding the short-term housing of refugees from Ukraine and challenges identified to date. It seeks to identify relevant considerations for those countries that are beginning to adapt their thinking regarding Ukrainians’ prospects for longer-term stays.

How to communicate on the Ukrainian refugee crisis and build on the support of host communities? (Policy Brief, July 2022) This policy brief examines communication strategies and best practices across the OECD countries in the current crisis context, drawing from results of a series of OECD NETCOM meetings.

What are the risks and rewards of start-up visas? (MPD No. 28, July 2022) This Migration Policy Debates provides an overview of start-up visa programs across OECD nations and their different methods for attracting and selecting migrant founders, as well as some initial results of these programmes. The brief then examines whether programme outcomes are being properly evaluated to ensure they are delivering on their strategic intent.

Should OECD countries develop new Digital Nomad Visas? (MPD No. 27, July 2022) This Migration Policy Debate explains this new residence status and provides a state of play of the programmes for digital nomads and remote workers in OECD countries. It also identifies potential added value and asks whether the visas are effective in achieving their stated aims, in light of concerns.

Moroccan emigrants in OECD countries: what new dynamics? (MDB No. 8, March 2022; in French only) This note presents the latest trends in migration from Morocco to OECD countries, the socio-demographic characteristics of emigrants, as well as their methods of integration in the countries of destination.

Ivorian, Malian and Senegalese emigrants in OECD countries: an overview (MDB No. 7, March 2022; in French only) This note, prepared on the occasion of the publication of the reports on Ivorian, Malian and Senegalese emigrants, in the OECD Talents Abroad series, presents the latest trends in migration from these three countries to OECD countries, the socio-demographic characteristics of emigrants, as well as their methods of integration in the countries of destination.

Skills Mobility Partnerships: Exploring Innovative Approaches to Labour Migration (EMN-OECD Inform, March 2022) This joint EMN-OECD inform presents experiences with implementing SMPs and similar initiatives in the EU and globally, exploring the main challenges and benefits.

The use of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence in Migration Management (EMN-OECD Inform, February 2022) This joint EMN-OECD inform is the second of the 2021 series of informs on Innovation in Migration. It aims to explore the role of new digital technologies in the management of migration and asylum.

The impact of COVID-19 in the migration area in EU and OECD countries (Umbrella Inform, April 2021) This Umbrella Inform builds on the findings from the series of EMN OECD Informs on the impact of COVID-19, published in 2020 and 2021, complemented by additional data collected by different actors.

Migration Policy Debate #26: How can European countries improve the integration of youth with migrant parents? (MPD No. 26, April 2021) This Migration Policy Debates has been prepared for the informal exchange on integration on 13 April 2021, under the Portuguese EU presidency. It summarises previous OECD work on how to strengthen the integration of youth with migrant parents.

Impact of COVID-19 on voluntary and forced return procedures and policy responses (Inform No. 5, January 2021) This joint EMN–OECD Inform reports on voluntary and forced return procedures and policy responses in EU and OECD Member States between January and July 2020.
French emigration throughout the globe: what does the increase reveal? (MDB No. 6, January 2021; in French only) This Migration Data Brief, drawn up jointly by the OECD and the Directorate General of the Treasury of the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Recovery, presents the latest trends in migration from France to other OECD countries, based on a new update of the OECD database on immigrants in OECD countries (DIOC).

How best to communicate on migration and integration in the context of COVID 19 (Policy Brief, 21 December 2020) This Policy Brief reviews current challenges and good practices of communication on migration and integration in response to the pandemic, drawing from examples of communication campaigns implemented in OECD Member countries in 2020.

The impact of COVID-19 on remittances in EU and OECD countries (Inform No. 4, December 2020) This brief reviews the three main drivers affecting remittance flows during the pandemic.

How to strengthen the integration of migrant women? (MPD No. 25, November 2020) This edition summarises OECD work on how to strengthen the integration of migrant women. It provides an overview of challenges faced by migrant women, notably those in family migration pathways. It depicts migrant women’s education level, their labour market integration, their reconciliation of work and family life as well as the associations with the outcomes of children of migrants and attitudes on gender equality and includes a number of policy implications.

Maintaining labour migration in essential sectors in times of pandemic (Inform No. 3, October 2020) This brief examines whether workers in certain occupational sectors – essential or otherwise – were exempted from general mobility restrictions at the external and internal borders of the EU or in non-EU OECD countries, resulting from policies to contain the pandemic.

What improves the sustainability of the reintegration component in AVRR? (MPD No. 24, October 2020) This edition summarises the key finding of the first OECD multi country peer review of reintegration assistance, including Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration programmes (AVRR), in 8 destination countries and 3 origin countries. The review looks at the conditions under which these programmes can not only support the sustainable reintegration of individual returning migrants but satisfy broader policy goals affecting host and origin communities.

What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrants and their children? (Policy Brief, 19 October 2020) This policy brief provides first evidence on how the pandemic has affected immigrants and their children in terms of health, jobs, education, language training and other integration measures, and public opinion, and describes host countries’ policy responses.

Impact of COVID-19 on international students in EU and OECD Member States (Inform No. 2, September 2020) This brief analyses the data collected between February and June 2020 and covers both the admission of new international students who are not yet residing in EU and OECD countries, as well as the situation of those already physically present.

EU and OECD Member States responses to managing residence permits and migrant unemployment during the covid-19 pandemic (Inform No. 1, July 2020) This brief analyses the data colected between March and June 2020. For EU countries, it reports on measures that were applied to third-country nationals with a regular status, already residing in the country. Irregularly staying migrants were not included in the scope of this Inform, except for the issue of access to COVID-19 related emergency healthcare services.

Managing international migration under COVID-19 (Policy Brief, 10 June 2020) This brief assesses migration policy reactions by OECD countries in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Contribution of migrant doctors and nurses to tackling COVID-19 crisis in OECD countries (Policy Brief, 13 May 2020) This brief focuses on the contribution of migrant doctors and nurses to OECD health systems and how OECD countries have adapted the recognition of foreign credentials to mobilise additional doctors and nurses with foreign degrees in response to COVID‑19.

How attractive is Germany for foreign professionals? (MPD No. 23, January 2020) This edition provides an introduction to the OECD indicators of Talent Attractiveness and gives an overview of recent findings for Germany.

What are the Possible Policy Responses to Future Irregular Migration? (MPD No. 22, January 2020) This edition provides a comprehensive review of alternative approaches for the prevention and deterrence of irregular migration. Many of these approaches are widely implemented, while some are recent and still under development. Others hold promise for addressing future challenges.

How to make Labour Migration Management Future-Ready? (MPD No. 21, January 2020) This edition outlines a number of innovations in labour migration management as well as their implementation scope. It aims to support policy makers in analysing, developing and applying their own innovative approaches to managing labour migration.

How to make Integration Policies Future-Ready? (MPD No. 20, January 2020) This edition reviews emerging challenges for integration and discusses countries’ responses to them.

Are the characteristics and scope of African migration outside of the continent changing? (MDB No. 5, June 2019) This Migration Data Brief presents the latest trends for African migration to the OECD based on a new update of the OECD database on immigrants in OECD countries (DIOC).

The new immigrants Global trends in migration towards OECD countries between 2000/01 and 2015/16 (MDB No. 4, June 2019) This Migration Data Brief presents the findings drawn from the most recent update of these data for 2015/16, which reveal some unprecedented developments and cast a new light on some of the structural trends revealed in previous datasets.

How do OECD countries compare in their attractiveness for talented migrants? (Migration Policy Deabtes 17) (MPD No. 19, May 2019). This edition presents the results of the first edition of the OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness, developed by the OECD with support from the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

The Expression of Interest Model: What Lessons for Migration Management in the EU and elsewhere? (MPD No. 18, March 2019). This edition reviews experience of Australia, Canada and New Zealand with the implementation of the Expression of Interest system. It discusses how and under which circumstances EoI can be adapted and adjusted to achieve the objectives set by economic migration policy in other OECD countries, especially in Europe.

How resilient were OECD health care systems during the “refugee crisis”? (MPD No.17, November 2018). This edition reviews current challenges and good practices for making OECD health systems more resilient in the face of a refugee crisis, drawing from a debate at a joint OECD, the World Bank and the Center for Mediterranean Integration conference on “Human Resources for Health (HRH): Integration of Refugees into Host Community Health Systems”.

Can we anticipate future migration flows? (MPD No.16, June 2018). This edition brings key lessons learnt from the joint EASO-OECD conference “From panic to planning: unpacking the policy toolbox to anticipate migration trends” (Paris, June 2016) for improving information systems to reinforce the preparedness of reception and management systems.

What would make Global Skills Partnerships work in practice? (MPD No.15, May 2018). This edition of Migration Policy Debates looks at the reasons why existing Skills Mobility Partnership have not been taken up more widely and proposes concrete measures for making them work more globally.

What were the key messages of the International Forum on Migration Statistics? (MDB No.3, May 2018). This Migration Data Brief focuses on the key messages of the inaugural International Forum on Migration Statistics.

Will migration help increase the educational level of the European labour force by 2030? (MDB No.2, December 2017). This Migration Data Brief focuses on the evolution of the working-age population with higher education and on the labour force of European countries up to 2030.

Migrant women and European labour markets (MDB No.1, December 2017). This Migration Data Brief explores how migration has shaped the labour force in European countries during the period 2005-2015, paying a special attention to the contribution of migrant women.

How does having immigrant parents affect the outcomes of children in Europe? (MPD No.14, December 2017). This edition assesses the intergenerational transmission of the disadvantages encountered by migrants and the conditions under which the native-born children of immigrants may be resilient in the face of the challenges of their parents’ generation.

Who bears the cost of integrating refugees? (MPD No.13, January 2017). This edition assesses the challenges that inflows of asylum seekers and refugees present for intergovernmental fiscal relations.

Are there alternative pathways for refugees? (Also available: Gibt es alternative Zugangswege für Flüchtlinge?) (MPD No.12, September 2016). This edition presents an overview of some “alternative pathways” that could help take the pressure off the main traditional pathways for refugees in general and assesses their potential application for Syrians in particular.
Why is migration increasing in the Americas? (MPD No.11, September 2016). This edition presents updated information on international migration in the Americas up to 2014 as well as on labour market outcomes of emigrants originating from the hemisphere.
Hiring refugees - What are the opportunities and challenges for employers? (Also available: Beschäftigung von Flüchtlingen - Welche Chancen und Herausforderungen bestehen für die Arbeitgeber?) (MPD No.10, September 2016).

Can we put an end to human smuggling? (MPD No.9, December 2015). This edition scrutinises the factors that facilitate human trafficking, as well as the smuggling routes to OECD countries. It synthesises available evidence and reviews existing policy tools for tackling such crime.

How will the refugee surge affect the European economy? (MPD No.8, November 2015)

Is this humanitarian migration crisis different? (MPD No.7, September 2015)

Is school (still) one of the main routes of integration in France? (MPD No.6, September 2015, in French only)
Is the United States still the land of opportunities for migrants? (MPD No.5, August 2015). It is often said that the United States is a nation of immigrants. Is it still the best place to settle in?
Who should be admitted as a labour migrant? (MPD No.4, December 2014). This edition looks at the latest developments in policies for managing labour migration and at how they can evolve to meet the complexities of today’s migration landscape.
How can migrants’ skills be put to use? (MPD No.3, December 2014). This edition looks at policy approaches that can help migrants find jobs and, especially, jobs that match their skills.
Is migration good for the economy? (MPD No.2, May 2014). This edition looks at the evidence for how immigrants affect the economy in three main areas: The labour market, the public purse and economic growth.
Is migration really increasing? (MPD No.1, May 2014). This edition looks at the magnitude and characteristics of the migration movements to Europe and the OECD and at how have they evolved over time