Practitioners’ perceptions for improving migration management and services

Author: Alagie Jinkang, University of Bologna

First-line practitioners (FLPs) have direct professional contact with migrants, law enforcement authorities, border security experts, intercultural mediators as well as service providers. However, despite the crucial role they play in the migration ecosystem, their perceptions are often not reflected in migration policy orientation. Findings from the PERCEPTIONS project show that FLPs: (i) experience poor working conditions, (ii) face legal barriers, (iii) perceive themselves and migrants as facing threats, (iv) are highly dissatisfied with both European and their countries’ immigration policies, and, (v) are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These insights are relevant for policymakers to improve migration policy and address threats, challenges and barriers influencing the organisational effectiveness of practitioners. Therefore, this brief provides context-specific and evidenced-based recommendations from the fieldwork with FLPs in both Europe and North Africa.