Economic Cycles, Demographic Change and Migration (2011)

Consistent with IOM's mandate and Strategy Document (activity 7), the IDM provides a forum for IOM Member and Observer States, as well as international and non-governmental organizations and other partners, to share experiences and perspectives on migration matters with a view to identifying practical solutions and fostering greater cooperation.

Overview

The workshop focused on migration policymaking that effectively reconciles the conditions set by economic cycles on the one hand and demographic realities on the other hand. Using the lessons learned from the most recent global economic crisis, the purpose of the workshop was to better understand the impacts of economic fluctuations on migration in relation to larger demographic parameters.

Through a series of presentations and discussions, participants evaluated the effectiveness of various migration policy measures taken in response to the downturn and placed them in context of broader population and labour market trends, in developed and developing, origin and destination countries.

Attempts were made at identifying gaps and limitations in comprehensively addressing the migration challenges often found in the wake of a recession. In line with the overarching theme of IDM 2011, the workshop paid particular attention to the capacity requirements in this area of migration policy.

Agenda

12 September 2011|Day 1

9:00 - 10:00

Registration

10:00 – 11:00

Welcome Remarks

• Laura Thompson, Deputy Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM), delivered by Peter Schatzer, Chief of Staff, IOM (Statement)

Setting the Scene

• Md. Shahidul Haque, Director, Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, IOM (Presentation)

11:00 - 13:00

Session 1

Managing migration in response to economic cycles

Moderator

• Jean-Christophe Dumont, Head, International Migration Division, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Speakers

• Christina Springfeldt, Deputy Director General, Department for Migration and Asylum Policy, Ministry of Justice, Sweden
• Ulvi Aliyev, Inspector, International Cooperation Department, State Migration Service, Republic of Azerbaijan
• Rebecca Tancredi, Managing Director, Upwardly Global (Presentation)

13:00 - 15:00

Afternoon Break

15:00 – 15:30

Migrant's Voice

• Jairo Enrique León Bermúdez

15:30 – 18:00

Session 2

Accounting for demographic change in migration policy Moderator

• Carlos Alberto Galindo López, Advisor, Office of the Undersecretary of Population, Migration and Religious Affairs, Ministry of the Interior, Mexico (Presentation)

Speakers

• Sandra Harder, Director General, Strategic Policy, Citizenship and Immigration, Canada (Presentation)
• Anna Janczak, Associate Director, Head of Professional Services, World Economic Forum (Presentation)

13 September 2011 |Day 2

10:00 – 12:00

Session 3

Managing labour migration in relation to economic and demographic needs Moderator

• Gloria de Pascual-Teresa, Director, International Migration Programme, International Labour Organization

Speakers

• Anna Terrón i Cusí, Secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration, Ministry of Labour and Immigration, Spain
• Mark Cully, Chief Economist, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Australia (Presentation)
• Pawel Kaczmarczyk, Vice-Director of the Centre of Migration Research and member of the Board of Strategic Advisors to the Prime Minister of Poland, Poland (Presentation)

12:00 – 13:00

Session 4

The case of mobility for health and care work Moderator

• Irena Vojackova-Sollorano, Director, Department of Migration Management, IOM

Speakers

• Kwesi Asabir, Deputy Director, Human Resources for Health Development, Ministry of Health, Ghana (Presentation)
• Saido Mohammed, Medical Nurse, Member of SOMHELP (Somali health care professionals in the Nordic countries) and Finland’s Refugee Woman of the Year (2011)
• Roumyana Petrova-Benedict, Senior Regional Migration Health Manager, IOM Brussels (Presentation)

General Discussion

13:00 - 15:00

Afternoon Break

15:00 - 17:30

Session 5

Governance for global mobility — a partnerships approach Moderator

• Gervais Appave, Special Policy Advisor, IOM

Discussant

• Kathleen Newland, Cofounder and director of Migrants, Migration and Development and Refugee Protection Programs, Migration Policy Institute

Speakers

• Diego Schleser, Director General, Labour Research and Statistics, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Argentina
• Daniela Morari, Deputy Head, Political Cooperation Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Moldova
• Constantinos Fotakis, Advisor to the Director for Analysis, Evaluation and External Relations, Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, European Commission (Statement)
• John Bingham, Head of Policy, International Catholic Migration Commission

17:30 - 18:00

Closing Session

• Laura Thompson, Deputy Director General, IOM

 

Related documents

• Global Economic Crisis and Migration
• Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on International Migration
• Role of Migrant Care Workers in Ageing Societies
• Migration and the Economic Crisis in the EU
• Policy Brief: Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Migration
• Labour Migration in Asia
• Irregular Employment of Immigrants in the EU
• Info Sheet: Labour Migration

Event documents

• Agenda
• Background Paper
• Chair's Summary
• List of Participants
• Workshop Report