Labour markets & welfare states


“Bright Minds Only”? How can labour migration solve the German skill shortage?

Hannes Wehnhardt is a master student in Economics and Management of Government and International Organisations at Bocconi University in Milan and an exchange student at the School of Transnational Governance of the European University Institute. A German by nationality, Hannes is interested into labour migration policies, skill shortage, and structural adjustment processes in the Federal […]

Are Agri-Food Workers Only Exploited in Southern Europe?

In the major new report that we co-edited Are Agri-Food Workers Only Exploited in Southern Europe? we examine the working conditions in agri-food production in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Drawing from the report’s findings, this Blog highlights that only structural interventions to ensure fairer labour standards can overhaul an agri-food system that takes advantage […]

The Challenges Faced by Malaysia’s Migrant Workforce during COVID-19 Movement Restrictions

Malaysia is heavily dependent on the labour of both documented and undocumented migrant workers, most of whom come from Indonesia, Nepal and Bangladesh. These workers are disproportionately affected by the challenges presented by COVID-19 due to a range of interconnected factors relating to the specific jobs they engage and their immigration status. In line with […]

National institutions vs EU policies? Why and how differences in welfare states and other national institutions can contribute to political conflicts about the rules for the free movement of workers in the European Union

Migration is today one of the most divisive issues in the European Union (EU). In the wake of the drastic rise in the number of refugees and other migrants arriving in Europe over the past few years, EU countries continue to disagree sharply about how to reform common EU policies for asylum and immigration from […]