https://irregular-migration.net/
Organisations and projects
The section provides links to projects and organizations, including large
organizations that have repeatedly addressed irregular migration and
projects that solely focused on the issue or closely related topics.
Would you like to draw attention to a project? Send us the link.
World: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/world-organisations-and-projects/
Europe: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/europe-organisations-and-projects/
Austria: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/austria-organisations-and-projects/
Czech Republic: Organisations and projects
France: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/france-organisations-and-projects/
Germany: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/germany-organisations-and-projects/
Greece: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/greece-organisations-and-projects/
Hungary: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/hungary-organisations-and-projects/
United Kingdom: Organisations and projects
Italy: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/italy-organisations-and-projects/
Netherlands: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/netherlands-organisations-and-projects/
Poland: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/poland-organisations-and-projects/
Slovakia: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/slovakia-organisations-and-projects/
Spain: Organisations and projects
https://irregular-migration.net/organizations-and-projects/spain-organisations-and-projects/
Methodology
The database provides an inventory and a critical appraisal of data and
estimates in the European Union and in selected member states. It contains
estimates on the size of irregular migrant populations and indicators of
their composition with regard to gender, age, nationality and sector of
economic activity. The presentation is innovative in its consistent
structuring and its carefully developed quality classification,
which indicates whether estimates are more or less trustworthy. The
summarizing tables are designed to give users the best possible overview
of quantitative data in the countries, in a simplified form. The
researchers involved in the creation of this database are aware that
irregular migration is a complex issue. Therefore, quantitative information
is accompanied by substantial background materials, both on issues of
general concern and on the situation in individual countries.
Definitions https://irregular-migration.net/methodology/#def
Quality assessment https://irregular-migration.net/methodology/#quality
Stock tables https://irregular-migration.net/methodology/#stock
Flows https://irregular-migration.net/methodology/#flows
Literature https://irregular-migration.net/methodology/#litrature
Scientific debate https://irregular-migration.net/methodology/#contribute
Definitions
Definitions of irregular migrants are problematic and complex, for
reasons discussed in detail in the CLANDESTINO methodological report. For
the sake of approximate comparability among countries, two broad types of
irregularity have been distinguished in the database: irregular foreign
residents (IFR) and irregular foreign workers (IFW).
country they are residing in, and persons violating the terms of
their status so that their stay may be terminated.
those with a regular residence status who work without registration
to avoid due taxes and regulations.
The following graph shows the main overlaps and differences between the two
groups, ignoring the fact that semi-compliance may blur some of the
differences in reality
The more intensely coloured fields indicate the overlap between the two
categories: adult foreign nationals who work in unregistered jobs, either
without any residence status or on short-term, non-working visas (working
tourists). They are likely to constitute the majority of all irregular
residents in most EU countries.
In addition, IFR include foreign nationals without any residence status who
do not work: children, aged and unemployed persons. Foreign nationals with
falsified papers who are registered and seemingly legal for the authorities
are usually not covered in estimates of IFR.
While the irregularity of the residence is the main criterion for IFR, the
irregularity of work is decisive for IFW. Persons without legal residence
status who are employed in regular, tax-paying jobs are usually not covered
by estimates aiming at irregular work. On the other hand, IFW estimates
include persons who are legally present in the country and perform
irregular work. These are mainly three groups:
EU citizens who are working in the shadow economy.
Third country nationals with a right to stay who work in spite of
having no right to work (e.g. asylum seekers).
working in the shadow economy, avoiding due taxes and regulations.
Quality assessment
ESTIMATES OF ABSOLUTE NUMBERS
ESTIMATES OF COMPOSITIONAL INDICATORS (PERCENTAGES)
Stock tables
Template for presentation of stock estimates
GROUPS (TABLE ROWS)
Stock estimates refer to the total number of irregular foreign residents
(IFR) or irregular foreign workers (IFW) in a country at a specific
point of time. Each table consists of estimates of absolute numbers and of
indicators for the composition with regard to gender, age, nationality, and
sector of economic activity. All relative indicators are percentages of the
groups in the total IFR or IFW population and thus should add up to 100%.
(for the whole country or specific cities or regions).
and women.
groups: 0-14 years (children); 15-60 (youth and persons in main working
age); 60 and older (persons in or close to retirement age).
-
Nationality composition: absolute estimates individual nationalities, or
estimated percentage of nationalities, sorted in order of quantitative
relevance.
-
Economic sector composition: absolute estimates for individual sectors,
or estimated percentage of sectors, sorted in order of quantitative
relevance. Indicators differ strongly with regard to sector definition and
specification. ‘Private household employment’ was summarized as one sector.
-
Other subgroups: open category for any estimate about groups of specific
concern. It was suggested that these estimates could concern former asylum
seekers, refugees or prostitutes, but any subgroup of irregular migrants
for which an estimate exists could be added under this heading.
DEFINITIONS
Definitions of irregular migrants are problematic and complex. The
database distinguishes between two broad types of irregularity, a
simplification necessary in order to achieve some degree
of comparability. Additions, like incl. EU (includes EU-citizens), *15
years plus* (excludes children up to 14 years of age), IFR/working (excludes
unemployed, children and aged persons without residence status), indicate
important limitations of definitions.
YEAR (2000 UP TO THE PRESENT)
The database summarizes estimates from 2000 to the present. Stock estimates
are in principle estimates made at a specific point in time, usually the
31st of December of the year for demographic data. However, irregular
migration estimates often do not indicate specific dates, only a year, if
at all.
Note that the definition of EU-countries has changed in this time due to
the accession of new member states. As EU citizens are rarely irregularly
resident, this has a high impact on IFR numbers.
Year
EU-member states
2000-2003
15 countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United
Kingdom)
2004-2006
25 countries (15 countries + Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia)
2007-present
27 countries (25 countries + Bulgaria, Rumania)
ESTIMATE
Estimates of irregular migrant populations may consist of one or more
values which are sorted in the following way.
minimum
Estimate indicates that there are at least this many irregular migrants
(also refered to as a conservative estimate). The lower value of a range
estimate is also entered under minimum.
central
Estimate for which no indication of minimum or maximum estimate is
feasible. The middle values of range estimates are also entered under
central.
maximum
Estimate indicates that there are, at most, this many irregular migrants.
Upper value of a range estimate is also entered under maximum.
MAIN DATA SOURCE
The main type of data is indicated in the following way.
Data source
Short explanation
Enforcement data
Enforcement authorities reveal irregular migrants? status in the course of
their work, usually against the migrants’ will (e.g. data from border
guards, police, labour market inspection units).
Regularisation data
Irregular migrants may self-identify to authorities to become regular.
Includes records of permanent regularization procedures and programmes.
Support service data
Irregular migrants may be identifiable in some services (e.g. health
services for uninsured persons). Support service data are based on records
about such services.
Administrative data
All organisational statistics that cannot be summarized under the specific
headings above (e.g. demographic data, school registers).
Census/ general survey
All surveys that are directed at general populations are included in this
category. Census or population surveys often include a part of the
irregular migrant population, although they are not always identifiable.
Expert survey
Expert surveys include the systematic collection and evaluation of
estimates and indicators from institutional experts and/ or key informants
in immigrant communities.
Migrant survey
All surveys in which irregular immigrants are directly targeted.
Employer survey
All surveys targeting employers and requesting information on the irregular
employment of foreign nationals.
Economic data
Data on production, income, demand, etc., that is used for indirect
estimations.
Multiple sources
Studies relying heavily on several of the above data sources.
Unknown
Usually quotations of estimates, or expert opinions without explanation
SHORT EXPLANATION
Indicates the type of person or institution supplying the estimate and
explains briefly the estimation procedure.
REFERENCE
References are listed at the end of the table. They include references
to CLANDESTINO country reports and the Classification Report, indicated as
Working paper No.1 of the Database on Irregular Migration.
Flows
Population stocks at a specific point in time are influenced by population
flows which are measured over a period of time, namely birth, death and
migration over one year. Irregular migrant populations change also because
people loose or gain a regular residence status.
Data about irregular migration flows are scarce, and indicators difficult
to interpret. Therefore, it is even more important to be aware of the
different types of inflows (movements into irregular status) and outflows
(movements out of irregular status). Otherwise, there is the risk to
overestimate the relevance of the most often used flow indicator which
is border apprehensions.
First attempts to develop a simplified tabular overview of the available
knowledge on inflows and outflows did not deliver satisfying results. For
some countries, verbal summaries complemented by graphs are provided in the
country profiles. The following categorisation used for the flow summaries
is developed to raise awareness of the different types of flows:
DEMOGRAPHIC FLOWS
As all populations do, irregular migrant populations change in size when
people are born or die. Although there is hardly anything known about the
size of these components, they should be kept in mind:
recognize all children born on their territory as regular residents, so a
baby may be born into irregularity.
this is an outflow from this stock.
GEOGRAPHIC FLOWS
This type of flows concerns movement over a border of a country in
violation of migration law:
country occur when individuals cross an external border of the EU or
enter from another EU country without the required travel documents.
Persons crossing an external border illegally either use regular ports
of entry such as ports, roads and airports and seek entry with false
documents or identities, or they may try to enter without inspection over
land or sea.
In the Schengen area, there are no ports of entry any more so
that irregular migrants try to enter without inspection from one
Schengen-state to another.
border of a nation state to another EU country or Non-EU country. They
can occur in an unregistered fashion, when irregular migrants are not
policed and remain undetected by public authorities. Exits can
also be registered, for example when a person is deported or registered as
crossing the border after an expulsion order.
STATUS-RELATED FLOWS
This type of flows includes flows related to a migrant’s status change:
inflow concerns persons who have entered the country with a tourist or
other temporary visa and overstay the allowed period of residence (visa
overstayers). Other persons have lived regularly in a country and stay
after their status is withdrawn, for example after the rejection of an
asylum application or the withdrawal of a temporary or permanent status
after a serious criminal offence.
outflow concerns persons who are individually regularized in cases of
hardship or as asylum seekers, and persons profiting from a collective
regularisation programme. Note that we consider any formal and documented
suspension of deportation for a specific time as an outflow from
irregularity, even if the state does not consider this specific status as a
regular status.
Methodology: Link library
FREE ONLINE REFERENCES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:
Duvell, F., Triandafyllidou, A., Vollmer, B. (2008): Report on ethical
issues in irregular migration research
https://irregular-migration.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ethics_PolicyBrief_Clandestino_Nov09.pdf,
Report prepared for the CLANDESTINO project, October 2008
Duvell, F., Triandafyllidou, A., Vollmer, B. (2009): Policy brief on
ethical issues in investigating irregular migration, Policy brief prepared
for the CLANDESTINO project, November 2009
Jandl, M., Vogel, D., Iglicka, K. (2008): Report on methodological issues,
prepared for the CLANDESTINO project, November 2008
Vogel, D., Kovacheva, V. (2008): Classification report
Quality
assessment of estimates on stocks of irregular migrants, Hamburg Institute
of International Economics (HWWI), Database on Irregular Migration, Working
paper No.1
Contribute to scientific debate
Particularly in a field with limited and dispersed knowledge, scientific
communication may lead to improvements. Critical comments and suggestions
for amendments and improvement are highly welcome. Currently, the database
is only updated occassionally on a voluntary basis. However, if you have
any comments or suggestions, do not hesitate to contact the database
coordinators.
Proposed format for new estimates
https://irregular-migration.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ProposalForEstimate_Template_Feb09.doc
(Word
document).
Send us your comments
Additional countries could be included in the database, provided that there
is funding for country reports and database processing. Proposals are
welcome.
In the framework of the CLANDESTINO project (2007-2009), country experts
reviewed literature and estimations in 12 countries, covering about 83
percent of the population of the European Union (EU27). For each of these
countries, a short summary, a table detailing knowledge about the size of
irregular migrant populations and links to more substantial background
material are available.
Austria: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/austria/
Czech Republic: Database
https://irregular-migration.net/countries/czech-republic/
France: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/france/
Germany: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/germany/
Greece: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/greece/
Hungary: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/hungary/
Italy: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/italy/
Netherlands: Database
https://irregular-migration.net/countries/netherlands/
Poland: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/poland/
Slovakia: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/slovakia/
Spain: Database https://irregular-migration.net/countries/spain/
United Kingdom: Database