Managing migration in times of economic turbulence

As the global economic downturn deepened in 2008-09, with job loses and wage cuts announced across a wide range of sectors, the crisis transformed the politics of migration in Europe.

Only a few months earlier, European governments were officially engaged in a ‘global battle for talent’, competing with each other to attract high-skill migrants to their borders. The UK was at the forefront of this trend, having just introduced a new points-based system designed to boost the British economy by bringing the right skills into the UK from around the world.

Today, Europe’s race towards the knowledge economy has been eclipsed by the recession. In Britain, fear of unemployment is putting pressure on the government to tighten the points-based system and impose greater restrictions on migrants’ entry. Other European governments are likewise taking or discussing measures to curb immigration. As our economies contract, it would appear that Europe is no longer in need of migrants.

This scenario creates complex challenges for centre-left governments and political parties, who have made “managed migration” an important policy priority in recent years. Faced with a rapidly deteriorating economic landscape, will progressives continue to make a positive case for migration?

Building on the success and findings of Policy Network’s previous project on the myths and realities of labour migration, this new research initiative, kindly supported once again by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, will develop concrete policy proposals and political narratives that will help progressive governments and political parties navigate through the politics of migration in times of economic recession.