Labour migration offers a “triple win”: for migrants, countries of origin and host countries

Brussels – Three benefits from a single person: labour migration can offer advantages migrants, countries of origin and destination, but only if accompanied by sound policies. This is the main conclusion of the two reports “Skills for fair and efficient labour migration” and “Skills and migration in changing labour markets”, published by European Training Foundation (ETF). 

In fact, despite the rise in global mobility, the Foundation argues that the benefits remain unevenly distributed and that there is often a mismatch between skills development, labour market needs, and migration policies. At the same time, labour shortages in various sectors and demographic decline continue to worsen across Europe, while demand for skilled foreign talent is growing. Therefore, “coherent skills systems, reliable labour market information, and effective governance are essential to fostering mutually beneficial mobility,” states EFT. 

According to the foundation—an EU agency that has been helping people develop skills for life and work for over 30 years—the skills of migrant workers represent a vital resource for addressing the transformations in contemporary economies and societies. With a view to mutual benefit, however, the ETF believes it is necessary to create simultaneous benefits for what is defined as the “the ‘triple win’ paradigm”: namely, for countries of origin, countries of destination, and migrants. This requires forward-looking policy frameworks and partnerships involving public authorities, vocational and educational institutions, private-sector employers, and civil society. A solution that can only succeed if accompanied by “a strategic alignment between skills development, recognition of qualifications, and migration governance.”  

In this context, businesses in particular are struggling. “As two out of three European companies point out, we also need skilled workers from outside the EU. The ETF, based in Turin, is working towards this goal to help our neighbouring countries identify, develop, and recognise the skills required by the labour market,” explained the European Commission’s Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and Chair of the ETF Governing Board, Mario Nava. The data, also confirmed by the Eurobarometer show that European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are unable to recruit citizens from third countries and that 46 per cent of SMEs have difficulty recruiting workers with the right skills. 

On this point, the two reports highlight that migrant workers’ skills have increased in line with labour demand, but the lack of recognition of their qualifications hinders their integration into the labour market. This means that many migrants find themselves employed in jobs below their qualifications, fuelling what is known as a “skills mismatch”. This not only “hampers productivity in destination countries” but also “reduces the benefits for countries of origin” and “limits migrants’ opportunities for professional and personal growth.” Studies therefore suggest a shift towards “long-term skills governance,” where once again the roles of schools and labour market analysis tools become essential.

The foundation also emphasises that effective migration policies require high-quality data, and that gaps in our understanding of migrants’ skills hinder the development of appropriate policies and limit the full utilisation of available talent. 

In countries of origin—particularly those affected by crises and high levels of emigration—there has instead been a significant decline in the labour force. To address this, the ETF suggests coherent institutional ecosystems that link the recognition of skills, the involvement of the diaspora, reintegration into the labour market, and support for returnees to facilitate return migration and generate sustainable benefits for countries of origin.