The global economic crisis and migration: where do we go from here?

The recent economic crisis, the worst in several decades, had wide implications for future migration and its management, going far beyond remittance flows.
The unprecedented speed and spread of its contagion effect led to significant changes in world labour markets and the pattern of global migration.

As in other economic downturns, temporary workers and migrants suffered the most. The corrosive effects of the crisis on labour markets and workforces are still driving changes in migration policies and patterns that can significantly influence social peace, inter-state relations, and the pace of global economic recovery.

Bimal Ghosh’s new book, jointly sponsored by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and The Hague Process on Refugees and Migration provides an analysis of the recession’s impact on migration policies and patterns. The study examines changing trends in flows and stocks in new immigration, return migration, irregular migration, internal movements and the global stock. The decline in economic growth, including international trade, capital flows, development aid, and remittances is analysed as well as according links to joblessness and incomes, poverty and inequality, and changes in the labour force.

In the concluding part, Professor Ghosh examines and suggests a series of policy and practical measures to deal with these consequences and turn the crisis into an opportunity for better management of international migration. Measures include the adoption of flexible immigration policies congruent with current and anticipated labour needs; the avoidance of populist, inward-looking policies, including trade protectionism; and proactive labour-market measures.