Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Department of Social Sciences - Berlin Graduate School of Social Science

Cohort

BGSS Generation 2018

Title

Empirical Insights and Normative Reflections on Immigration Matching

Supervisor

Prof. Dr. Silvia von Steinsdorff

Abstract

Across the EU, corporate companies are concerned with labour shortages under emerging technologies of the “fourth industrial revolution”. This demand for skills is both, a serious industrial challenge and a unique chance to make an impact on migration governance before the current political momentum fades and the window of opportunity closes again to hide globally existing migration push and pull factors. Reframing the debate on migration in the context of the global skills challenge has manifold potentials: First, negative political and public narratives around migration can be changed by re-shifting the focus on human skills, which are reciprocally beneficial for sending and destination countries; second, by training and educating foreign workforces, an effective contribution to counter the north-south divide would be made by increasing remittances and entrepreneurial knowledge in sending countries; third, establishing selection, evaluation, and training procedures for migrants can raise political willingness in receiving states to facilitate legal immigration of migrants looking for work opportunities and/or refuge from poverty, war and persecution; and fourth, corporate companies satisfy labour demands and support the EU to remain competitive on a global level. Yet, the process of immigration matching is complex and raises a series of human rights concerns; thus, my research project seeks to shine light on this field by asking: For which purposes and under which conditions can immigration matching be a fair and effective route to strengthen economies of receiving and sending states in a sustainable manner?

Institution

Berlin Social Science Center (WZB)