High-Skilled Immigration Policy in Europe

Martin Kahanec and Klaus Zimmermann ()

No 5399, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

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: Europe; high-skilled migration; immigration policy; mobility; European Union (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 43 pages
Date: 2010-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eec, nep-eur, nep-hrm and nep-mig
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published - published in: Barry R. Chiswick (ed.), High Skilled Immigration in a Global Labor Market, Washington DC, The AEI Press, 2011. 264-314

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Working Paper: High-Skilled Immigration Policy in Europe (2011)
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