Migration to the Centre

The international project Migration to the Centre examines how acquis communautaire and other EU instruments influence migration and integration policies and practice in the V4 region (CZ, SK, PL, HU, SL). It brings international comparisons to the situation in each country, promotes cooperation and networking between experts and stakeholders and provides space for migrants´ voice. The project aims to raise awareness and build capacities for participation on the EU policies of migration and integration and their implementation.

The project is covering following topics that are considered crucial within the migration and integration process:

Work and the residence permits
Family reunification
Study / training in EU

The project aims to create an active network of Central European partners focused on migration and integration, to draw attention of policy makers, experts and wider public to similarities and differences in the implementation of EU migration legislation and contribute to the cultivation of the migration debate and create conditions for inclusion of migrants to the debate.

Project partners:

Duration of the project: 9/2012 - 2/2014

Project coordinator:
Alexandra Dubová
Telefon: +420 296 325 346
E-mail: alexandra.dubova@mkc.cz

The project has been generously supported by the European Commission The "Europe for citizens" programme.

Project outputs:

Victoria’s future in bureaucratic hands

1. 2. 13

Victoria, a young women from Ukraine, lives in Poland for two years. She came to Poland with visa and work permit and works in a bar. In the short interview conducted by the Institute of Public Affairs she describes how difficult it is for a foreigner to find a job and how long is her waiting for obtaining a residence permit.

Work and residence permitsPoland

Closing job market, closing eyes

31. 1. 13 Martin Rozumek

The Czech immigration system needs substantial reform and a complete change of thinking. The country has never been able to attract highly skilled immigrants and is desperately trying to discourage all other migrants from working in the Czech Republic. The large number of Czech businesses, on the other hand, rely on foreign labor.

Work and residence permits Labour MigrationCzech Republicarticles

Video story of a migrant worker in Slovenia

23. 1. 13

In the short video, created by the Peace Institute, you can meet a professional baker Lush Lushaj who moved to Slovenia from Kosovo in 2009. Before arriving to Slovenia, he worked for many years in Bosnia and Croatia. Today he owns his own baker’s shop in Slovenian capital, Ljubljana. Bakery is one of traditional fields of employment for migrants from Kosovo in Slovenia.

Work and residence permitsSlovenia

Dejan S. blog

17. 1. 13

I was happy to accept an invitation by the Center for Independent Journalism Budapest to write about my experiences as an immigrant in Hungary. I have chosen a few case studies describing the bureaucratic and legal obstacles and also to mention some problems foreigners sometimes face in Hungary. All given in good faith and with a hope that this feedback and an open debate would contribute to crea...

Work and residence permitsHungary

Slovakia closes eyes to labour migration

17. 1. 13 Zuzana Bargerová

In its Migration Policy, Slovakia declares clear desire to receive economic migrants and enhance employment of highly qualified foreign workers. The presented article describes developments in labour migration in recent years and argues that Slovakia lacks a clear policy in managing labour migration.

Work and residence permits Labour MigrationSlovakia

Working on the different terms than specified in the work permit as irregular work of migrants

16. 1. 13 Patrycja Mickiewicz

Despite some recent facilitations in the access to the Polish labor market, many migrants still need to obtain the work permit, which – when combined with the accurate resident permit – gives the right to work legally in Poland. Not to go into details of this procedure (which, by many employers, is still seen as too complicated and too bureaucratic), it is worth to analyze the problems that mi...

Work and residence permits Labour MigrationPolandarticles

"Irregularities" in the Hungarian legislation on third-country nationals’ employment

15. 1. 13 Anna Borbála Bodolai

The Hungarian law on third country nationals’ employment is overcomplicated, many times incoherent and instead of attracting immigrant workers to fill the labour force shortages, it restricts their regular employment possibilities and helps to maintain irregular forms of employment. This article will illustrate this statement by employment and labour inspectorate statistics coupled with examples...

Work and residence permits Labour MigrationHungaryarticles