We have prepared an overview of immigration programs and the experiences of various countries—from Australia and Canada to Sweden and Denmark.
Four steps without which nothing will work
First, the government should introduce a points-based system for selecting immigrants—one that is transparent, digital, and has a published and regularly updated qualifying score. Every applicant should be able to calculate their chances on their own before submitting their documents.
Second, create a list of in-demand professions and instruct the Ministry of Economy to regularly update it based on labor market forecasts. Construction, healthcare, and logistics are the minimum initial list.
Third, reform the State Migration Service: remove officials’ discretionary powers and digitize all procedures. As long as an official decides whether to “approve or deny,” there is corruption. As long as there is corruption, there is no system.
Fourth, launch an integration program based on the Swedish-Czech model: language courses, credential recognition, regional distribution, and partnerships with employers. A migrant who does not know the language and cannot verify their qualifications is not a resource but a problem.
Managed migration is the only model under which Ukraine can simultaneously obtain the workforce needed for recovery, preserve social cohesion, and avoid ghettoization. The alternative is not the status quo. The alternative is demographic collapse with unmanaged human flows.
❗️The publication by the Center for Social and Economic Research (CASE Ukraine) was made with the support of the Civil Society Home of ISAR Ednannia as a part of the project «Strong Civil Society of Ukraine – a driver towards reforms and democracy,» funded by Norway and Sweden. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Center for Social and Economic Research (CASE Ukraine) and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Government of Norway, Government of Sweden and ISAR Ednannia.