Agility is Key - Lessons Learned from Immigration Transformations

In the last 15 years, I have had the opportunity to work on major immigration transformations on two continents, and have moved to the other side of the world twice over. What I have come to recognize is that immigration transformation is unique in that it is subject to strong political drivers, must be able to pivot and flex on a moment’s notice, and is critical to the prosperity of modern liberal democracies.

I recently moved from Australia to Canada, and this has given me the opportunity to reflect on what is common around the world when it comes to modernizing immigration systems and what is different; what some countries are doing to increase their attractiveness to immigrants and what others are doing that is not working as well.

This is the first article in a series on Immigration Transformation where I will unpack some of the lessons I have learned working on immigration projects around the world.

Article #1: The Context for Immigration Transformation

The political reality

Migration policy never misses an opportunity to dominate the newspaper headlines. In most countries, not a week goes by without it being a hot topic. A few recent examples from the last couple of weeks:

• 21 November: in Finland, a ministerial working group approves the revised Talent Boost program. This program is set up to provide Finland with skills that meet its needs and to strengthen economic growth, employment and innovation activities between 2023–2027. It promotes the international recruitment of labour from four target countries: India, Brazil, Vietnam and the Philippines, with a focus on those with higher education, employees in the healthcare and social welfare sector and export industries as well as seasonal workers (link).?
• 22 November: Geert Wilders and his PVV party win the elections in the Netherlands, head and shoulders above all other parties. His party made immigration its number one priority and received 37 of the 150 parliament seats. The numbers 2, 3 and 4 in this election follow at some distance with 25, 24 and 20 votes. Under the Dutch Political system, the various parties are now in discussion to form a coalition (ideally with a minimum of 75 seats to form a majority government), with an expected explicit stance on the Dutch policy position on immigration.
• 11 December: Minister Claire O’Neill of the Australian Department of Home Affairs publishes their new Migration strategy, titled “Reforms to get migration working for the nation”. It recognizes that “Migration is central to Australia’s national story and in times of change, migration has helped Australia tackle national challenges and build long periods of prosperity and security”. The new strategy provides a roadmap on how get immigration back there again and defines 8 key actions to lift migration to the next level.
• 14 December: in an interview, Immigration Minister Marc Miller says that the Canadian government is preparing to create a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of people who have lived and worked in Canada illegally for years, starting with construction workers. He indicates that the government is preparing to create a “broad and comprehensive program” that would allow many without valid documents to apply for permanent residency. Providing this pathway for undocumented construction workers will be used as a “good way to test the narrative” before a wider program is being presented to cabinet (link). ?

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Serving the government of the day

In any democratic society, the public service plays a crucial role in maintaining stability, implementing policies, and serving the government of the day. This role is no different for public servants in the Immigration sector.? Their ability to operate without undue influence or pressure is essential for upholding the rule of immigration law and maintaining the trust of citizens. Independent civil servants can offer unbiased advice, assess policies objectively, and act in the best interests of the nation as a whole.

At the same time, public servants recognize their duty to serve the government of the day. Elected officials bring a mandate from the people, and the public service plays a crucial role in translating political vision into actionable policies. Their expertise and continuity ensure the smooth implementation of government programs and initiatives, contributing to the overall success of the administration. This is no different for public servants in the Immigration sector. And as we have seen in the overview above, the political direction can shift very quickly.

Agility is Key

Immigration organizations operate in a constant state of flux, with disruptions ranging from political winds shifting to global crises. Immigration organizations must be able to adapt swiftly to these changes to remain effective and responsive. Agility allows for quick adjustments in policies, strategies, and operations, ensuring that governments can navigate the complexities of the modern landscape.

The ability to pivot quickly in the face of change is a key characteristic of agile organizations, ensuring that governments can effectively execute their strategies. It will also allow for more efficient use of the organization’s resources, freeing up people from being stuck in backlogs of open cases.

And finally, speed is also key for the applicants that it serves. For highly educated people that are considering migrating to country A or B, speed of getting their application sorted and the certainty that this provides is often a key factor in determining which country to move to, while for asylum seekers, shorter processing times mean less uncertainty and less time spent in asylum and detention centres.

What’s next?

In the next articles I will be looking to cover:

• Comparing and contrasting migration policies in several countries
• Imperative for transformation
• Building an organization that embraces change

?Keen to get your thoughts or questions, or suggest other topics you would like to see covered!

Link to Article 2: One Size Fits None

Link to Article 3: Cat and Mouse