Global Agenda Council on Migration 2013
Issue Overview |
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In an era of globalized financial flows, manufacturing and trade, migration remains the unfinished business of globalization. Worldwide, three of every 100 people are migrants, the vast majority of whom work and reside legally in their host countries. With over US$ 400 billion in remittances sent home, new start-ups and the daily transfer of human capital, migrants are poised to make unique contributions to the development of both their countries of origin and hosts.
Strong signals of profound migration transformation patterns have emerged in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. First, new economic opportunities in emerging economies are driving a greater flow of job seekers from the south back to the south. Despite lingering high levels of unemployment in many markets, organizations around the world report they cannot find the talent they need, when they need it. As ageing and population shrinking reduce the number of workers in the industrialized north, mobile labour (migrants) take on an important new role in economic recovery and global competitiveness.
In this context, the dynamics of migration policy-making may alter, as most nations face the challenges of being both an origin and host country, grappling with the global competition for talent and the complexities of integration. Meanwhile, the issues of illegal migration and failed integration fuel anxieties and political polarization in national dialogues on migration policy. The focus of most policy coordination efforts continues to be on control and limits, rather than on mobility and competitiveness. The tragic events in Norway in the summer of 2011 underscored the risk of extremist narratives capitalizing on the issue of migrant integration.
Faced with such fragmentation, more stakeholders (business, political parties, international organizations, academia and civil society) are advocating for new policies that shape orderly, safe and legal migration.
- 16 United Nation agencies are mandated to address migration, and the term “migrant” has about 192 definitions – one for each nation.
- A 2010 study conducted at Duke University revealed that up to 23% of new technology and engineering companies in the USA, founded between 1995 and 2005, had at least one immigrant founder. Immigrant start-ups were responsible for creating US$ 52 billion in sales and 450,000 jobs in that time period.
- In the second quarter of 2012, over 50% of Indian employers expressed their intention to hire more employees, compared with slightly less than 10% of their German counterparts.
“Political leaders need to show the public the advantages of labour immigration and provide a counterpoint to populist xenophobic views and fears of increased unemployment and social dumping. There are big risks to leaving such views unchallenged. For example, why would highly skilled immigrants needed in EU member states move to a country where they do not feel welcome?”
Ola Henrikson, Swedish Ministry of Justice; Chair of the Global Agenda Council on Migration
“Which countries will benefit from changing demographics? Those countries that have systems in place to deliver mobile labour and skills.”
Göran Hultin, Chief Executive Officer, Caden Corporation; Vice-Chair of the Global Agenda Council on Migration
“On international migration, no one is in charge.”
Sergio Marchi, Special Adviser, Pace Global Advantage
The Impact of Twin Crises on Migration
The Nexus Between Business and Migration
World Migration Report 2011 – Communicating Effectively about Migrants
Univision’s dedicated platform for its immigrant audience
6th Global Forum on Migration and Development
19-22 November 2012
Port Louis, Mauritius
Experts Meeting of the KnoMad – World Bank
3-4 December 2012
Geneva, Switzerland
11th Club of the Hague Meeting
4 June 2013
the Netherlands
3rd Global Diaspora Forum
July 2013
USA
2nd High-Level Dialogue on Migration
September 2013
United Nations, New York, USA
The Council is committed to improving the benefits of migration to development, innovation, employment and social cohesion across industrialized and emerging economies. Bringing together businesses, academics, and practitioners, it promotes the re-invigoration of global and regional discussions on migration policy.
In 2011-12, the Council examined the relationship between the private sector and migration, and the impact companies and migrants have on each other. The Council concluded that the private sector has much to contribute, but is sorely missing from migration policy-making channels. Thus, the Council will build on its efforts to bring the business perspective into migration policy-making through greater interaction with business associations. The Council will enhance its collection of 2011-12 case studies, which illustrate the productive interactions between businesses and migrants.
Given the uncertain economic and political contexts faced by many nations in 2011, the Council also monitored the impact of immigration crises on migration flows and policy-making around the world. Vignettes provided by Council Members from the USA, Europe, Africa and India revealed that the crises had very uneven impacts on the patterns of migrants. The Council’s research should be published in the first half of the 2012-14 term.
As nations prepare for the 2nd High-Level Dialogue on Migration to be held in the margins of the United Nations’ General Assembly 2013, the Council will advise on the meeting agenda. The Council will advocate for a more reasoned, balanced approach to policy-making based of the 10 Principles for Migration Policy-making developed in 2010. The Council will collaborate to increase the presence and contribution of business in this dialogue. The Council will also continue advising the Talent Mobility Initiative supported by the World Economic Forum.
Research Analyst: Isabel de Sola, Senior Knowledge Manager, Global Agenda Councils, Isabel.desola@weforum.org
Council Manager: Patrick McGee, Knowledge Manager, Global Agenda Councils, Patrick.mcgee@weforum.org
Forum Lead: Martina Gmür, Senior Director, Global Agenda Councils, Martina.gmur@weforum.org
