Seasonal Worker Programs in Europe: Lessons Learned and Ways Forward

About

Speakers: 
Kate Hooper, Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute
Stephanie Maurel, CEO, Concordia
Jan Schneider, Head of the Research Unit, Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration (SVR)
Moderator: 
Meghan Benton, Director of Research, MPI Europe

Across Europe, employers with seasonal labor needs in sectors such as agriculture, hospitality, and tourism often rely on hiring workers from other countries. Some, such as Germany, source these workers from other EU Member States, especially in Eastern and Central Europe. Others rely on programs that recruit seasonal workers from non-EU countries such as Morocco. While low-skilled workers generally have limited opportunities to legally migrate to the European Union, seasonal migration forms an important exception.

Designing and implementing seasonal worker programs that are responsive to labor market needs but also prioritize the well-being of seasonal workers and deter overstays remain challenging. Likewise, while studies point to the potential development contributions of seasonal migration for origin countries, policymakers can struggle to translate this potential into practice.

As the European Union prepares to review the implementation of its Seasonal Workers Directive, as well as countries such as the United Kingdom continue to explore new approaches to selecting seasonal workers, this webinar features a new policy brief, Lessons from Europe on Managing Seasonal Worker Programs. Join researchers, including from MPI Europe and the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration (SVR) Research Unit, to discuss recent trends in European seasonal migration programmes and best practices.

This webinar is part of a project by MPI Europe and the Expert Council’s Research Unit on mobility options to Europe for those not in need of protection, supported by the Mercator Foundation.