International Migration and the EU's Labour Markets: to Protect or not Protect?

Abstract

International labour migration has been a highly controversial issue that challenges European governments for a long lime. Currently, there is not any consolidated position among the EU’s member states towards immigrant workforce. Thus, every country decides on its own whether to open an access for foreigners to local labour markets or not. In this article we endeavour to explore benefits and drawbacks of labour immigrants’ inflows for the host countries. Besides, this study aims to research how immigrant workforce affects local labour markets, economic growth, and distribution of welfare. More specifically we will focus on impact of complementing and competing immigrants’ influx on host economies in terms of employment and economic growth.