High-Skilled Immigration Policy in Europe

43 Pages Posted: 3 Jan 2011

See all articles by Martin Kahanec

Martin Kahanec

IZA Institute of Labor Economics; Central European University; Central European Labour Studies Institute

Klaus F. Zimmermann

Global Labor Organization (GLO); UNU-MERIT; Maastricht University, Department of Economics; Free University Berlin; University of Bonn; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Journal of Population Economics

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Abstract

Whether Europe will be able to stand up to its internal and external challenges crucially depends on its ability to manage its internal mobility and inflows of international migrants. Using a unique expert opinion survey, we document that Europe needs skilled migrants, and skill mismatch is to be expected. A review of current immigration policies shows that despite a number of positive recent developments Europe lacks a consistent strategy to address this challenge effectively, paralyzed by the notion of "fortress" Europe, which we argue should be abandoned. Since significant political tensions can be expected between native actors that favor and disfavor further immigration, improving European immigration policies and procedures is a formidable challenge. This task involves the need to improve Europe's image among potential migrants, especially the high-skilled ones.

Keywords: high-skilled migration, mobility, immigration policy, Europe, European Union

JEL Classification: F22, J61

Suggested Citation

Kahanec, Martin and Zimmermann, Klaus F., High-Skilled Immigration Policy in Europe. IZA Discussion Paper No. 5399, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1733724 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1733724

Martin Kahanec (Contact Author)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

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Central European University ( email )

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Central European Labour Studies Institute ( email )

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Klaus F. Zimmermann

Global Labor Organization (GLO) ( email )

Bonn
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://https://glabor.org/

UNU-MERIT ( email )

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Maastricht University, Department of Economics ( email )

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Netherlands

University of Bonn

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Bonn, D-53012
Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Journal of Population Economics

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D-69121 Heidelberg
Germany

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