Publications

Return and reintegration programs are an important part of overall migration management. Most countries place significant emphasis on entry requirements to regulate migration inflows, and equal emphasis on return and reintegration is necessary. ‘Returns’ exist in three main categories: forced (where departure decisions are made by state authorities), voluntary (where departure decisions are made in consultation with the traveller) or self-managed (where the traveller makes all departure decisions). For the purposes of this policy paper, ‘return’ means predominantly ‘voluntary return’ or return other than forced return.

Furthermore, this paper specifically addresses those return programs that link with some form of post-return assistance (reception assistance, post-arrival assistance, reintegration assistance) in the country of origin. It identifies efficiencies and methods that represent best practice and increase performance of the program. It also identifies new perspectives and new ways of viewing traditional policy and program settings. Return and reintegration programs are governed by traditional program settings and function in a standardised manner. However, it is important to recognise the limitations of general program settings. This paper examines the function and utility of these programs. Additionally, there is a discussion of major program features and operational challenges. The paper includes findings from a short examination of return and reintegration programs for all fifty Prague Process participant states.

Since 2014, the number of Ukrainian labour migrants moving to the European Union (EU) has increased significantly. In 2019 alone, Ukrainian nationals received 660,000 residence permits for remunerated activities across the member states – the largest external labour force in the EU. The reliance of member state economies on workers from Ukraine has thus reached significant levels, as exemplified by the labour shortage seen during the COVID-19 crisis that forced the EU to shut down its borders.

While Ukrainian labour migration to the EU produces economic benefits on both sides, the exchange is beset by multiple challenges. These include limited protection of Ukrainian labour migrants, circumvention of work permit rules, and attempts by unscrupulous actors to lure Ukrainians into accepting precarious or non-existent jobs. This report assesses these challenges and their implications, before providing a set of targeted solutions, ranked according to a Feasibility Score. The proposed solutions range from establishing a ‘one-stop-shop’ for information provision and a joint employment database for non-EU nationals, to launching negotiations on amending the legislation on work permits.

This second collection of publications produced within the Prague Process Migration Observatory covers the period 2019-2020. It aims to inform migration decision-makers, specialists, scientists, academics and the interested public about ongoing migration trends and policy developments across the Prague Process region. The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the possibilities of travelling, meeting each other and socializing, all of which had been essential to make this intergovernmental dialogue a living organism. The unprecedented circumstances encouraged us to explore new possibilities and approaches, moving our work to the world of virtual meetings, online webinars and development of e-learning tools. The authors featured in this book are state representatives, academic experts or other specialists. Their contributions aim at raising awareness concerning a wide range of migration phenomena that affect people’s lives or even societies as a whole. The collected publications shall inform the interested reader and possibly inspire new ideas and initiatives for the future.

The results of PARIM-II project, which are discussed in this report, draw not only from extensive qualitative and quantitative research conducted in the field between August 2023 and January 2024, but also from the previous project (PARIM-I), which looked instead at the migration intentions and information needs of Pakistani nationals wishing to migrate out of the country, including through irregular channels.1 By outlining the results of the current project and combining them with the previous one, this report aims at bringing together, analysing, and discussing the entire research component in a targeted way, providing insights for the potential information campaigns and communication strategies in this area. 

This Policy Brief explores how migrants engage with modern technologies throughout their integration trajectories in host countries, highlighting the reasons why they may encounter digital obstacles and the instances where governments have, intentionally or unintentionally, marginalised them. This brief also examines the opportunities and limitations of existing bottom-up and top-down approaches to digitalisation in migrant integration processes, particularly in Europe, as well as offers recommendations on how digital technologies can be better tailored to migrants’ needs, thereby enabling more efficient investments in digital technologies within integration settings and generating increased opportunities for migrant agency.
 

Authors:

Dr. Amanda Alencar, Associate Professor at the Department of Media and Communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam. This publication was produced in the framework of the Prague Process, financed by the European Union through the Migration Partnership Facility

The Guidelines for the integration of refugees and migrants are developed in the framework of the EU-funded “Supporting implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan (MOBILAZE 2)” project for institutions and organisations which will provide integration services in the future. The guidelines provide a framework for the effective integration of migrants and refugees into host communities in Azerbaijan. The Guidelines emphasise the importance of fostering social inclusion, ensuring equal access to services, and promoting cultural understanding. Key areas of focus include education, employment, healthcare, and social cohesion. The guidelines advocate for creating supportive policies that respect human rights and dignity, encourage community engagement, and facilitate the economic and social contributions of migrants and refugees in Azerbaijan. Collaboration between governments, NGOs, and local communities is essential for successful integration.

The aim of this mapping report was to identify the key stakeholders from public sector working on migration management in respective countries as well as the private sector entities, organisations and funds that support start-ups, scaleups and SME development, in scope with the EMLINK project objectives. In order to gain comprehensive overview for the mapping and insights into the focus of the work of the key stakeholders, the experts from Georgia and from Belgium have been identified to develop this report together with the ICMPD EMLINK project team.

This compilation showcases in-depth analyses and research findings on migration trends, policy developments, and the various challenges and opportunities within the Prague Process region. The selected works from 2023 and 2024 reflect the Observatory’s commitment to the six thematic areas outlined in the Prague Process Action Plan 2023-2027.

This policy brief gives a 360-degree overview on what we currently know about the extent of irregular migration across the EU. Based on MIrreM’s analysis and aggregation of estimates available for 12 European countries (including the UK) in the period 2016 to 2023, the irregular migrant population can be estimated at between 2.6 and 3.2 million. The previous Clandestino estimate was 1.8 to 3.8 million for the same 12 countries in 2008. This suggests that the number of the irregular migrant population has not substantially changed at the aggregate level for these countries – although there have been important changes in individual countries. In addition, the policy brief also surveys what information is available and still lacking in regard to trends and patterns of irregular movement, including what information we will have on ‘overstayers’, a key proportion of the irregular migrant population identified under the Clandestino project.

This working paper is aimed at researchers and others interested in understanding and classifying policy and practical approaches to migrant irregularity. Addressing irregular migration has become an important focus within the migration policy field. Policymakers tend to emphasise the need to address irregular arrivals, yet in fact have a wide range of policy responses at their disposal. MIrreM research has highlighted the wide range of policy responses to the presence of irregular migrants, including how policies provide pathways into and out of irregularity (Hendow et al., 2024); this working paper aims to classify them within a typology. It builds on the existing MIrreM conceptualisation of migrant irregularity (Kraler & Ahrens, 2023), focusing on the intersection between the pathways into and out of irregularity and the stocks of irregular migrants.

This analytical report examines the political challenges and responses to migration driven by climate and environmental changes (MECC) across the non-EU Prague Process states (non-EU PPS). It offers evidence of cases substantiating the climate change-migration nexus and elaborates on the impact that climate change can have on migration movements. It investigates the role of the EU in supporting climate adaptation in non-EU PPS, while reflecting on the impact that latent and ongoing conflicts, often interrelated with water scarcity and mismanagement of (already scant) natural resources, may have in exacerbating climate vulnerability and migration movements. The report illustrates relevant national protection practices covering a wide range of people, both nationals and non-nationals, affected by climate and environmental factors. It also analyses the protection frameworks available to MECC at the national and international level.

Authors:

Dr. Chiara Scissa, Research Fellow in EU Law at University of Bologna | This publication was produced in the framework of the Prague Process Migration Observatory. The Prague Process is funded by the European Union through the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF), which is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

As part of the EUROMED Migration (EMM) studies, in partnership with the European Union Institute Migration Policy Centre Observatory on Public Attitudes to Migration (OPAM), EMM is proud to give exclusive access to the publication ‘Storytelling as Strategic Communication on Migration.’ Practitioners regularly recommend storytelling as an effective means of strategic communication about migration. Storytelling is distinct from other forms of communication due to its ability to clear and retain attention, disarm critical thought, and provide an opportunity for the storyteller to demonstrate a large range of skills and thus enhance their credibility. Experimental evidence supports the notion that storytelling is more persuasive than, for example, appeals to authority using experts. This report provides the first review of the academic literature on the characteristics and effects of storytelling and how this might be best used for migration communication and outlines seven best practices according to these criteria and demonstrates them using examples. 

This analysis roots itself in the socio-legal examination of individuals’ experiences purchasing migration-related services from service providers in the opportunistic economy while navigating migration policy instruments. The findings of this analysis hold relevance for all types of digital pre-border processing systems, ranging from asylum to labour migration instruments. This research culminates in the development of clear criteria by which policymakers can counteract the emergence of illicit economies based on their migration systems, with benefits both for users navigating these systems and for states seeking to achieve the uniform and non-discriminatory implementation of their migration policies.

Authors: 

Andrew Fallone, doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge Institute of Criminology | This publication was produced in the framework of the Prague Process Migration Observatory. The Prague Process is funded by the European Union through the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF), which is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

The Manual serves as a practical tool for early identification of potential victims of trafficking in human beings (THB) and child sexual abuse or exploitation (CSA/E). It targets frontline responders who, during their daily work, might detect potential and actual victims of THB and/or CSA/E and refer them to relevant support services.

Authors: Elena Petreska (ICMPD), Edgar Federzoni dos Santos (ICMPD), Madalina Lepsa - Rogoz (ICMPD), Ivanka Hainzl (ICMPD), Ishrat Shamim (CWCS), Sergio Rivera Reyes (RENACER), Claudia Álvarez Conde (UCM), Raquel Barras Tejudo (UCM), Carlos Brito Siso (UCM), Jana Dilger (TRI), and Melita Gruevska Graham (ICMPD).

The project Resilience, Reinforcement and Recovery of Ukrainian Migration and Consular Services (RRR) is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development with the overall objective to contribute to the resilience, reinforcement and recovery of Ukrainian migration and consular governance by strengthening the capacities of national authorities to ensure the safe international mobility of Ukrainian citizens, including preparations for sustainable return. Module 1 of the project specifically aims to establish Ukrainian Consultation Centres in EU MS hosting the most Ukrainian refugees, mainly in Poland, Czech Republic and Germany, in close coordination with local state authorities, Ukrainian diaspora organisations and the civil society of hosting countries. The Consultation Centres (CCs) will support consular capacity in providing consular assistance to Ukrainians abroad regarding documentation, integration information in the hosting societies and preparedness/consultations for future voluntary return and reintegration back home. 

ICMPD is seeking applications from qualified and result-oriented professionals, to support the establishment of such Centre in Berlin, Germany, in addition to the overall coordination and implementation of activities within the framework of the Consultation Centre.

The project Resilience, Reinforcement and Recovery of Ukrainian Migration and Consular Services (RRR) is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development with the overall objective to contribute to the resilience, reinforcement and recovery of Ukrainian migration and consular governance by strengthening the capacities of national authorities to ensure the safe international mobility of Ukrainian citizens, including preparations for sustainable return. Module 1 of the project specifically aims to establish Ukrainian Consultation Centres in EU MS hosting the most Ukrainian refugees, mainly in Poland, Czech Republic and Germany, in close coordination with local state authorities, Ukrainian diaspora organisations and the civil society of hosting countries. The Consultation Centres (CCs) will support consular capacity in providing consular assistance to Ukrainians abroad regarding documentation, integration information in the hosting societies and preparedness/consultations for future voluntary return and reintegration back home. 

ICMPD is seeking applications from qualified and result-oriented professionals, to support the establishment of such Centre in Berlin, Germany, in addition to the overall coordination and implementation of activities within the framework of the Consultation Centre.