ICMPDs Research Unit contributes to the 22nd IMISCOE Annual Conference

Paris-Aubervilliers & Online, 1–4 July 2025  

ICMPD’s Research Unit took part in the 22nd Annual Conference of the IMISCOE network, held in Paris-Aubervilliers and online. As a co-founder of the IMISCOE network, the Research Unit continues to play a key role in contributing to critical debates and promoting interdisciplinary approaches in migration studies. 

Under this year's theme, "Decentring Migration Studies", the conference provided a timely opportunity to reflect on dominant narratives and bring greater attention to diverse regional perspectives in migration research. Over four days, ICMPD researchers joined panels, workshops, and meetings to share methodological and topical insights on global labour mobility, drivers of irregular migration, and alternatives to return. Veronika Bilger, Head of Research, also represented ICMPD in the IMISCOE Board of Directors and Financial Committee. 

In terms of methodology, ICMPD organised a workshop with leading academic experts on developing and using typologies, reflecting on their utility, but also limitations. It offered an opportunity to reflect on recent typology publications and to look ahead in the field to new potential developments or uses. 

Structural drivers of irregular migration in Iraq and Pakistan were analysed based on findings from the MIRAMI (Migration information and awareness raising on the risks of irregular migration in Iraq) and PARIM-II (Awareness Raising and Information Campaigns on the Risks of Irregular Migration in Pakistan) projects.  The research challenges common European framings of migrants and highlighted how restrictive policies and limited legal pathways push people toward irregular migration as a last resort, driven by policy constraints rather than individual choice. The findings advocate for a shift toward a decentred approach to migration governance—one that emphasises migrant agency, considers origin-country contexts, and prioritises the development of inclusive, safe, and regular migration pathways.  

ICMPD researchers also contributed to discussions on alternatives to return policies, drawing on the FAiR (Finding Agreement in Return) and MIrreM (Measuring Irregular Migration and related Policies) projects, which highlighted key insights into non-return trends and regularisation as a policy response, with a particular focus on the case of France. Additional discussions examined the diversity of regularisation policies across Europe, highlighting variations in national approaches and their implications for migrants’ rights and inclusion. 

ICMPD contributed extensively on the topic of labour mobility, notably through the Link4Skills and sister project workshops and panels. The conference’s third day featured continued discussions on labour mobility, fair migration, and migration policy analysis. Contributions explored job mobility patterns, ethical considerations in skills circulation from countries of origin, and methodological reflections on building typologies in migration research.  

From labour mobility to labour market integration – another research contribution included a paper based on the INTAKE project (Labour market integration of displaced women from Ukraine with temporary residence prospects), examining barriers to labour market integration for Ukrainian refugee women in Austria. It pointed to challenges such as non-recognition of qualifications, the impact of Austria’s welfare system, and the unintended effects of the new Red-White-Red Card+ residence status. The research called for intersectional integration policies that improve qualification recognition, adapt welfare models to the realities of refugee women, ease transitions between residence statuses, and ensure long-term security. 

ICMPD’s Research Unit participation reflects both the wide scope of its work as well as its ongoing commitment to comparative, policy-relevant research and to contributing to more inclusive migration debates.