Temporary Workers

Temporary worker programs and the treatment of migrant workers have gained increased international attention. In some countries, the temporary worker system acts as a transition to permanent immigration. Other countries have highly regulated temporary worker systems with no pathway to permanent immigration. The research here examines temporary worker programs, policies that bridge from temporary to permanent status, and efforts by sending-country governments to protect their workers overseas.

Recent Activity

Reports July 2019 Equipping Immigrant Selection Systems for a Changing World of Work (Transatlantic Council Statement) By Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Meghan Benton and Kate Hooper	Articles June 6, 2019 Migration and Integration in Czechia: Policy Advances and the Hand Brake of Populism By Dušan Drbohlav and Kristýna Janurová
Reports May 2019 The Evolution of the Australian System for Selecting Economic Immigrants By Anna Boucher and Amy Davidson	Reports May 2019 Immigration-Related Policy Changes in the First Two Years of the Trump Administration By Sarah Pierce
Reports May 2019 Eight Key U.S. Immigration Policy Issues: State of Play and Unanswered Questions By Doris Meissner and Julia Gelatt	Articles May 1, 2019 Migration in the Netherlands: Rhetoric and Perceived Reality Challenge Dutch Tolerance By Joanne van Selm
Explainers April 2019 Explainer: How the U.S. Legal Immigration System Works By Julia Gelatt	Reports April 2019 Spain’s Labor Migration Policies in the Aftermath of Economic Crisis By Kate Hooper

Pages

Policy Briefs September 2007 Protecting Overseas Workers: Lessons and Cautions from the Philippines By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza and Neil G. Ruiz	Policy Briefs April 2007 Circular Migration and Development: Trends, Policy Routes, and Ways Forward By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza and Kathleen Newland
Reports September 2006 Immigration and America's Future: A New Chapter By Doris Meissner, Deborah W. Meyers, Demetrios G. Papademetriou and Michael Fix	Reports September 2006 From A Zero-Sum to a Win-Win Scenario? Literature Review on Circular Migration By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza
Policy Briefs August 2006 The Impact of Immigration on Native Workers: A Fresh Look at the Evidence By Julie Murray, Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix	Policy Briefs January 2006 The Growing Connection Between Temporary and Permanent Immigration Systems By Jeanne Batalova
Policy Briefs January 2006 Temporary Worker Programs: A Patchwork Policy Response By Deborah W. Meyers	Fact Sheets January 2004 What Kind of Work Do Immigrants Do? Occupation and Industry of Foreign-Born Workers in the United States By Elizabeth Grieco

Pages

Spotlight

September 29, 2017

Chinese Immigrants in the United States

The Chinese represent the third-largest immigrant population in the United States, their numbers having grown rapidly in recent decades. The population is atypical in some respects: Far more highly educated and likely to have come via student and employment pathways than the overall U.S. foreign-born population. This article offers key data on Chinese immigrants, including top destinations, incomes, and English proficiency.

Young people ride motorcycles in Batac, Philippines.

Profile

July 12, 2017

The Philippines: Beyond Labor Migration, Toward Development and (Possibly) Return

In the Philippines, a pervasive culture of migration has led millions to seek opportunities abroad, particularly since an economic downturn in the 1970s. The government has long embraced exporting labor as official economic policy, but over time, the focus has shifted: first to protecting workers overseas and much more recently to linking migration and development. This article explores the evolution of Filipino migration policy and trends.

Agricultural workers break for lunch on a cucumber farm in Virginia.

Policy Beat

June 20, 2017

Despite Political Resistance, Use of Temporary Worker Visas Rises as U.S. Labor Market Tightens

Although President Trump has repeatedly pledged to preserve "U.S. jobs for U.S. workers," employers are increasingly relying on temporary visas as a result of labor shortages in agriculture, high tech, and beyond. This article examines the increases occurring in key temporary worker programs, affecting seasonal agricultural and nonagricultural industries, as well as high-skilled tech jobs.

Profile

May 18, 2017

Russia: A Migration System with Soviet Roots

The history of dynamic migration flows throughout the Soviet Union pre- and post-collapse has significantly shaped the current migration reality in Russia. Even as borders have shifted and policies changed, inflows and outflows still occur mostly within the former Soviet space. As this article explores, Russia has worked in recent decades to strengthen its migration management system and update its residence and citizenship policies.

Profile

March 28, 2017

As Its Population Ages, Japan Quietly Turns to Immigration

One of the most rapidly aging societies in the world, Japan is looking to immigration to address increased labor shortages—albeit slowly and largely without public debate. This country profile offers a brief overview of Japan’s migration history and examines the current immigration system, in particular policies and programs to bring in foreign workers, particularly on a temporary basis.

Recent Activity

Reports

July 2019

Equipping Immigrant Selection Systems for a Changing World of Work (Transatlantic Council Statement)

As technological developments—from automation to artificial intelligence and machine learning—reshape the world of work, governments face the challenge of updating how they attract, select, and retain economic-stream immigrants. This report, concluding a series on building migration systems for a new age of economic competitiveness, lays out the key considerations for "future-proofing" immigrant selection systems.

Articles

June 6, 2019

Migration and Integration in Czechia: Policy Advances and the Hand Brake of Populism

Since regaining its independence in 1989, the Czech Republic has transformed from a country of emigration to one of rising immigration, amid growing labor market needs. Even as Czechia received few asylum seekers during the 2015-16 European migration crisis, the country has taken a harder line on immigration, and public opinion and political stances have grown more negative towards immigrants and refugees.

Reports

May 2019

The Evolution of the Australian System for Selecting Economic Immigrants

Since the mid-1990s, Australia has moved away from a focus on family reunification to place greater emphasis on workers coming via temporary and permanent channels. The evolution of the country's points-based model for selecting economic migrants and move to a predominately employer-driven system offer lessons for other countries that seek to develop a tailored and targeted immigration selection system.

Reports

May 2019

Immigration-Related Policy Changes in the First Two Years of the Trump Administration

In the two years since President Trump entered office, U.S. immigration policy has changed in many ways. Some actions have received significant media attention and public scrutiny, and others have been implemented with little fanfare. This document chronicles these wide-reaching policy changes, covering immigration enforcement, the immigration courts, humanitarian admissions, visa processing, and more.

Reports

May 2019

Eight Key U.S. Immigration Policy Issues: State of Play and Unanswered Questions

Amid a significant reshaping of immigration policy by the Trump administration, a range of immigration topics that have not been at the forefront of debate merit further information sharing with the public and policymakers. This report examines eight issues areas that are deserving of additional review and could form the basis for future action by Congress, including H-1B reform and treatment of unaccompanied minors.

Articles

May 1, 2019

Migration in the Netherlands: Rhetoric and Perceived Reality Challenge Dutch Tolerance

The Netherlands has witnessed a rise in far-right populism, challenging its reputation as a humanitarian haven. Yet, public fears equating immigration with a rise in religious extremism do not necessarily reflect the facts. This profile explores historical and contemporary migration in a country where population growth relies largely on immigration, and analyzes to what extent policymaking has been shaped by rising populism.

Explainers

April 2019

Explainer: How the U.S. Legal Immigration System Works

Through which visa categories can immigrants move temporarily or permanently to the United States? What are the main channels by which people come, and who can sponsor them for a green card? Are there limits on visa categories? And who is waiting in the green-card backlog? This explainer answers basic questions about temporary and permanent immigration via family, employment, humanitarian, and other channels.

Reports

April 2019

Spain’s Labor Migration Policies in the Aftermath of Economic Crisis

A relatively new destination for immigrants, Spain has developed a labor migration system that builds on longstanding relationships with countries outside the European Union and that actively involves employers, trade unions, and regional governments. This report examines how this legal framework has evolved in recent decades, and how it could serve as a model for EU policymakers in admitting non-EU workers.

Programs

Topics see all >

Regions see all >

Data

Featured Publication

Programs

You are here

Temporary Workers

Recent Activity

Pages

Pages

Pages

Recent Activity

Pages