Deflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies

Recent research into the impact of restrictive immigration and asylum policies has found a considerable deterrence effect reducing the number of persons claiming asylum, that is as rules and procedures are tightened fewer applications are received. However, restrictive asylum policy might also push...

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Main Authors: Czaika, M, Hobolth, M
Formato: Working paper
Publicado: International Migration Institute 2014
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author Czaika, M
Hobolth, M
author_facet Czaika, M
Hobolth, M
author_sort Czaika, M
collection OXFORD
description Recent research into the impact of restrictive immigration and asylum policies has found a considerable deterrence effect reducing the number of persons claiming asylum, that is as rules and procedures are tightened fewer applications are received. However, restrictive asylum policy might also push potential and rejected applicants into an irregular status. This paper investigates to what extent the deterrence effect of asylum policy is counterbalanced by such a 'deflection into irregularity’. We analyse this question drawing on a new large dyadic dataset detailing asylum and visa policy as well as forced and irregular migrant flows to 29 European states in the period 2001 to 2011. We find that restrictive asylum policy does, as expected, reduce the number of persons claiming protection. But there is also a significant deflection dynamic at work. Our estimates suggest that a ten percent increase in asylum rejections raises the number of (apprehended) irregular migrants by on average about three percent, and similarly, a ten percent increase in short-stay visa rejections leading to a five percent increase in irregular migration.
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spelling oxford-uuid:a8ee4ee9-ca03-4c7a-bf5c-4c02cefd41d32022-03-27T03:04:59ZDeflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policiesWorking paperhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_8042uuid:a8ee4ee9-ca03-4c7a-bf5c-4c02cefd41d3Bulk import via SwordSymplectic ElementsInternational Migration Institute2014Czaika, MHobolth, MRecent research into the impact of restrictive immigration and asylum policies has found a considerable deterrence effect reducing the number of persons claiming asylum, that is as rules and procedures are tightened fewer applications are received. However, restrictive asylum policy might also push potential and rejected applicants into an irregular status. This paper investigates to what extent the deterrence effect of asylum policy is counterbalanced by such a 'deflection into irregularity’. We analyse this question drawing on a new large dyadic dataset detailing asylum and visa policy as well as forced and irregular migrant flows to 29 European states in the period 2001 to 2011. We find that restrictive asylum policy does, as expected, reduce the number of persons claiming protection. But there is also a significant deflection dynamic at work. Our estimates suggest that a ten percent increase in asylum rejections raises the number of (apprehended) irregular migrants by on average about three percent, and similarly, a ten percent increase in short-stay visa rejections leading to a five percent increase in irregular migration.
spellingShingle Czaika, M
Hobolth, M
Deflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies
title Deflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies
title_full Deflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies
title_fullStr Deflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies
title_full_unstemmed Deflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies
title_short Deflection into irregularity? The (un)intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies
title_sort deflection into irregularity the un intended effects of restrictive asylum and visa policies
work_keys_str_mv AT czaikam deflectionintoirregularitytheunintendedeffectsofrestrictiveasylumandvisapolicies
AT hobolthm deflectionintoirregularitytheunintendedeffectsofrestrictiveasylumandvisapolicies