As flows of migrants from developing countries to developed countries grow over time, migration has become an important issue that warrant good management. This paper, written by Narada Luckanachai and Matthias Rieger from the Programme for the Study of Global Migration, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, reviews migration policies that exist in various countries and, especially those that could be applicable to North and West African countries.  

The paper is divided into 6 main sections as follows:

Outward Migration This section examines policies on skilled and low-skilled outward migration. For skilled migration, the policy aim is to reduce brain drain in the healthcare sector through measures such as better compensation schemes, bonding, and private initiatives. For low skilled migration, the policy focus is on reducing migration costs through proper preparation and recruitment process as well as better social protection for migrants. 

Inward Migration This section discusses four aspects of inward migration: labour market need, social protection, social cohesion, and development. Destination countries have implement measures that meet skill shortage without admitting excess migrant labour, provide migrants with accessible and portable social benefits, prevent discrimination against migrants, and promote development of origin countries to reduce inward migration. 

Transit Migration This section explores externalization and regularization policies and types of social assistance available to transit migrants such as transit centres, housing, and healthcare. 

Return This section reviews policies that encourage migrants to return to their home countries. These include diaspora networks, funding and assistance for academics and entrepreneurs, and return programs in destination countries. 

Remittances This section investigates existing mechanisms that could be used to increase remittances and promote their investment, reduce transfer cost, and encourage formal channel of remittances. Securitization and regulation of remittances are also mentioned. 

Rural-Urban Migration This section reviews policies on rural development that could potentially reduce migration from rural to urban areas, and policies on urban infrastructure development to support growing demand for infrastructure in the cities. 

Whenever possible, the paper tries to identify best practices and provide assessments of the performance of migration policies. However, some policy evaluations are based on extremely incomplete data. Therefore, readers are advised to use their judgements when reading through segments on policy assessments.

Table of contents 

I. Introduction 

II. Outward migration 

A. Theory 

B. Skilled migration 

C. Low-skilled migration 

III. Inward migration 

A. Labour market needs 

B. Social protection 

C. Social cohesion 

D. Development 

IV. Transit migration 

A. Theory 

B. Externalization policies 

C. Transit centres 

D. Regularization policies 

E. Housing 

F. Healthcare 

V. Return 

A. Diaspora networks 

B. Return of academics 

C. Return of entrepreneurs 

D. Return programs in destination countries 

VI. Remittances 

A. Increase and invest remittances 

B. Reduce transfer cost 

C. Encourage formal channel of remittances 

D. Other issues 

VII. Rural urban migration 

A. Rural Development 

B. Urban infrastructure development 

VIII. Conclusion 

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