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The findings of the ERC-funded project “Migration and Transnational Social Protection in (Post) Crisis Europe” (MiTSoPro) offer valuable insights into the conditions under which migrants can access social benefits in the EU’s 27 member states and Switzerland.
This data visualization, based on the project’s findings, describes and compares the social protection policies and highlights the conditions under which migrants can access social benefits across five core policy areas: family, guaranteed minimum resources, healthcare, pensions, and unemployment. The findings highlight some key lessons on mobile individuals’ access to social benefits in Europe.
Most countries restrict access to welfare for their citizens who have decided to permanently settle abroad. Indeed, most benefits remain conditional upon residence in the country and few are exportable worldwide, though there are important exceptions (e.g. old-age contributory pensions). The exportability of social benefits for Europeans living outside their countries of nationality is often possible in the framework of international conventions, the European social security coordination system, or bilateral social security agreements signed with third countries.
Moreover, the data shows that, when it comes to foreigners residing in Europe, nationality is of minor importance for accessing contributory benefits, once individuals gain employment. Broadly speaking, social security laws do not distinguish between claimants based on their nationality, nor do they reserve contributory benefits only for nationality holders. Gainful activity is a decisive factor for migrants’ access to contributory benefits, although complying with the qualifying period of contribution or employment required for accessing social benefits may be more problematic for foreign workers compared to their national counterparts, as migrants are by definition more likely to have spent less time in the country.
The findings also show that European states are more likely to restrict access of mobile individuals (especially non-EU nationals, who are also at higher risk of poverty and social exclusion) to non-contributory benefits, such as guaranteed minimum income of non-contributory old age pensions, than to contributory benefits. It is in the area of non-contributory benefits where direct or indirect forms of exclusion of migrants from domestic welfare systems are most widespread.
Finally, migrants’ access to welfare can also be indirectly constrained by the potential negative consequences that taking up such benefits may have on mobile individuals’ eligibility for other rights and long-term prospects in the country of residence. Reliance on social assistance is often considered a burden on public funds and can negatively affect the renewal of migrants’ residence permits, their applications for family reunification, or even their citizenship across several European countries.
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Source: The codebook and the corresponding dataset are part of the project “Migration and Transnational Social Protection in (Post) Crisis Europe”, (MiTSoPro) which received funding from the European Research Council (ERC), under the European Union’s 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 680014). Data visualization was made by the nccr – on the move (Andreas Perret in collaboration with the project “Mobility, Diversity, and the Democratic Welfare State: Contested Solidarity in Historical and Political Comparative Perspective”).
Note on the methodology: Original data was compiled via a survey with national experts (social policy and migration scholars) across EU27 and Switzerland. Experts were asked to consult the national and international legislation regulating migrants’ access to welfare entitlements and provide objective information (as stipulated in the text of the law) regarding the specific eligibility conditions under which individuals can claim different types of benefits. The survey included standardized questions to ensure comparability across countries.
Terms of use: The Migration-Mobility Indicators are made available free of charge for non-commercial use. We ask the users to acknowledge the source.
Suggested citation: Vintila, Daniela; Lafleur, Jean-Michel. MiTSoPro Policy Survey on Migration, Transnationalism and Social Protection, Dataset V1: https://zenodo.org/record/5006449#.Y2vF8uzMJmA, 2021.
To go further: We invite you to consult the open access publications of the MiTSoPro Project, published in the Springer- IMISCOE Research Series:
– Migration and Social Protection in Europe and Beyond (Volume 1): Comparing Access to Welfare Entitlements
– Migration and Social Protection in Europe and Beyond (Volume 2): Comparing Consular Services and Diaspora Policies
– Migration and Social Protection in Europe and Beyond (Volume 3): A Focus on Non-EU Sending States
Last update: 7 February 2023