A manual on how to fix our broken migration system An article by Foreign Affairs

The global migration crisis has transformed politics worldwide, sparking fierce debates and reshaping policies. Anti-immigration rhetoric dominates election campaigns across virtually all continents, with candidates leveraging images of migrant caravans and chaotic border scenes to stoke fear of an invasion. Misinformation and amplified noise on social media has pressured even pro-immigration politicians to recalibrate their stances. These political dynamics expose the failures of an outdated post-World War II system to address contemporary humanitarian, demographic, and economic challenges.

In the United States alone, unauthorized border crossings surged to nearly 2.5 million in 2023, according to the Foreign Affairs publication's article on this topic. This figure stands in stark contract to the less than 500,000 annually at the turn of the century. Europe has also witnessed a dramatic rise, with unauthorized entries reaching 380,000 in 2023, the highest since the Syrian migrant crisis back in 2014-16. Elsewhere, despite harsh anti-immigrant measures and even violence, migrants continue risking their lives to seek better opportunities, driven by economic desperation and conflict. This global trend underscores the inadequacy of current policy responses, which focus on border restrictions, mass deportations, and limiting asylum protections. Such measures merely redirect migration flows, strengthen criminal networks, and worsen economic inequalities.

A more sustainable solution lies in fundamentally overhauling the global migration system to reflect migration’s permanence in human history. The article's author believes governments must balance border management with creating legal immigration pathways that meet labour-market demands, support development in migrants’ home countries, and address asylum claims efficiently. Failure to act risks perpetuating social unrest, exploitation, and a breakdown in asylum credibility. Reforming the system would not only restore order but also foster mutual benefits for migrants and host countries.

A Flawed Approach to Immigration

The current immigration policies in high-income countries fail to align legal migration pathways with labour market needs. For example, the United States issues insufficient labour visas, while its asylum system—designed to protect those fleeing persecution and war—has become a de-facto entry point for economic migrants. Asylum applications have surged from less than 100,000 annually in the early 2000s to over 500,000 in 2023. According to the article, this pathway is often ill-suited to address the circumstances of many migrants, including those fleeing poverty or climate disasters.

Similarly, European countries prioritize high-skilled workers, neglecting their labour shortages in lower-skilled sectors like construction, hospitality, and healthcare. This disconnect has exacerbated labour gaps in aging societies like Germany, Italy, and Spain, where declining birth rates threaten economic stability. For instance, some 14 million people will be retiring in the next couple of years in Spain, meaning that the country desperately requires 25 million immigrants over the next 30 years to sustain its workforce. Yet political dormancy has prevented reforms that could address these gaps effectively.

The Asylum Dilemma

The post-World War II refugee system, built on the 1951 Refugee Convention, has saved countless lives but now struggles to meet modern challenges. While the UN estimates that over 43 million people worldwide qualify as refugees, millions more displaced by poverty or climate change fall outside the convention’s definition. In 2023, climate-related disasters displaced a record 26.4 million people, yet these individuals rarely qualify for asylum. This binary system—refugee or not—leaves millions in limbo, vulnerable to demonization and neglect.

Irregular migration, spurred by limited legal pathways, puts pressure on asylum systems and leaves many migrants in precarious situations. Processing backlogs trap legitimate asylum seekers in years-long limbo, while those denied asylum often remain in host countries unlawfully, further fueling political backlash. Several high-profile legal cases involving sexual assault and murder crimes committed by illegal migrants in the US have even become a hot debate point during the 2024 presidential election campaign. Foreign Affairs does acknowledge that while deportations are necessary, they are also costly to governments while often traumatic for the affected migrants, highlighting the inefficiency of the current system.

Economic Imperatives

The article points out the irony regarding the timing of the situation, seeing as the backlash against immigration coincides with most countries' unprecedented need for migrants due to demographic shortcomings. Global fertility rates have plummeted, and aging populations in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Italy create labour shortages in critical sectors. In the United States, undocumented migrants make up about 5% of the workforce, with even higher concentrations in agriculture, construction, and food service. These workers sustain industries essential to economic stability but face exploitation and wage suppression due to their undocumented status.Irregular migration also fuels human smuggling networks, with millions relying on smugglers to reach more stable countries. The high demand for entry, coupled with limited legal pathways, has made smuggling a lucrative industry, generating billions annually. Tragically, thousands of migrants die each year attempting dangerous crossings, highlighting the human toll of a broken system.

Toward a New System

Promising initiatives offer a blueprint for reform. Bilateral migration agreements, such as those between India and countries like Germany and the UK, align visa quotas with labour-market needs and provide skills training for migrants. Italy’s recent decision to admit 450,000 foreign workers over three years, paired with agreements to return irregular migrants, demonstrates how pragmatic policies can address labour shortages while maintaining border control.

To build a sustainable system, the article's recommendation is that high-income countries should invest in skills training for migrants, expand legal migration channels, and create temporary or seasonal work programs. For instance, Finland’s initiative to deploy Finnish-Somali healthcare professionals to Somalia shows how diaspora engagement can enhance both origin and destination countries. Local governments must also ensure adequate resources for integrating migrants, reducing tensions and fostering community support.

Enforcing Borders and Streamlining Asylum

A reformed system requires robust border enforcement to discourage irregular migration while ensuring dignity for deportees. By making legal pathways more accessible and appealing, governments can reduce reliance on irregular routes and refocus asylum systems on those most in need. Efficient deportation processes, coupled with expanded legal migration options, would restore asylum systems’ credibility and help manage migration effectively.

By Nazrin Sadigova