How policies shape migrants’ lives and host societies
Across Europe, hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants live in the shadows—working precarious jobs, often exploited, with limited access to basic rights. Yet their experiences vary dramatically depending on which country they’re in. A major new EU-funded research project, Protecting Irregular Migrants in Europe: Institutions, Interests and Policies (PRIME), is digging into why these differences exist and what they mean for both migrants and the societies they live in.
With nearly €2.5 million in funding, PRIME brings together researchers from Italy, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, and Croatia, along with partners in Switzerland and the UK. Running from 2023 to 2026, the project takes a close look at eight European countries—Austria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK—to understand how national policies shape the lives of those without legal status.
Listening to migrants and host communities
Unlike traditional migration studies, PRIME doesn’t just analyze laws and statistics—it centers the real-life experiences of irregular migrants themselves. Through in-depth interviews and large-scale surveys, the researchers are hearing directly from those affected: workers in agriculture, care, waste management, and restaurants—sectors that often rely on undocumented labor.
But it’s not just about migrants. The project also explores how host communities perceive irregular migration. Do locals see it as an economic necessity, a threat, or a humanitarian issue? How do employers, policymakers, and activists navigate the tensions between border control and human rights?
Migrant boat landing in Trapani
Why one size doesn’t fit all
A key insight driving PRIME is that irregular migrants aren’t a monolithic group. Their experiences differ based on gender, age, and ethnicity. A young man from North Africa working in Spanish agriculture faces different challenges than an Eastern European woman in Italy’s care sector. The project examines how these intersecting factors shape access to work, housing, and even basic protections.
At the same time, national institutions play a huge role. Some countries, like Sweden, emphasize welfare protections even for undocumented migrants, while others, like Poland, take a stricter enforcement approach. PRIME investigates how these policy differences affect migrants’ daily lives—whether they can report abuse without fear of deportation, access healthcare in emergencies, or reunite with family
A unique research approach
To get answers, PRIME combines large-scale surveys—reaching over 10,000 people—with personal stories from more than 300 migrants, employers, and policymakers. This dual approach ensures the findings are both statistically robust and deeply human.
By comparing different countries and sectors, the project aims to uncover what actually works. Which policies reduce exploitation? Which ones backfire? And how can Europe balance control and compassion in its migration policies?
Why this matters now
Irregular migration is one of Europe’s most polarizing issues. Some governments push for tougher borders, while others experiment with regularization. PRIME’s findings could provide much-needed evidence to guide these debates—showing not just what policies exist, but how they play out in real life.
“This isn’t just about migrants—it’s about the kind of societies we want to live in,” says Professor Martin Ruhs, one of the project’s lead researchers. “Do we accept a permanent underclass of undocumented workers, or do we find ways to protect their rights while addressing legitimate concerns?”
