Between Emigration and Attraction: Governance, Challenges and EU Convergence

The Western Balkans region occupies a uniquely complex position in the European labour migration landscape. These economies simultaneously function as a major source of outward labour migration to the European Union and as an increasingly significant destination for workers arriving from third countries, particularly from Southeast Asia. This dual role generates governance challenges that no single economy within the region can adequately address in isolation.

This report provides the analytical foundation for the Regional Roadmap to improve labour migration management and prevent secondary movements. In-depth research was conducted between October 2025 and February 2026 in all Western Balkan partners, drawing on desk research, administrative data analysis, and key informant interviews with institutional stakeholders.

Approximately one quarter of the Western Balkans’ population now lives abroad, reflecting long-standing patterns of outward migration driven by demographic decline, wage differentials, and limited domestic labour market opportunities. At the same time, sustained emigration has created significant labour shortages in sectors essential to economic growth, including construction, agriculture and tourism. To address these shortages, economies across the region have increasingly turned to recruiting workers from third countries.

The rapid growth and diversification of labour migration, particularly from countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, has introduced new demands on migration governance systems. Administrative procedures, legal frameworks, labour market oversight, and worker protection mechanisms are adapting to a migration reality that has evolved dynamically.

Against this backdrop, the report identifies regional challenges and opportunities, highlighting areas where strengthened cooperation and more coherent governance can improve labour migration management, enhance the protection of migrant workers, and reduce the risks associated with secondary movements while supporting sustainable labour market development across the Western Balkans.