The ISMU Foundation - an Italian research centre working on immigration and actively involved in migration analysis and information dissemination - published its 27th Report on Migration (2021). Besides traditional areas of focus such as demographics, legislation, labour, health-care access, and education, the report looks at current phenomena related to migration in Italy and in Europe, including migration processes after the Afghan crisis of 2021 and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mobilities and migration.

The report is divided into five parts, each of which has sub-chapters on specific issues.

Part I focuses on current migration scenarios. In particular, this section analyses: i) migration processes following the Afghan crisis of 2021; ii) the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mobilities and migration - the report argues that the need to contain the outbreak has led to an unforeseen and significant drop in the movement of people worldwide, and provides deep analysis of the Italian context; iii) mobility as a constitutive element of human life; iv) the increase in racist and xenophobic episodes against the immigrant population. In relation to this, the report also examines the attitudes of Italians towards immigrants; v) the relationship between Europe, Africa, and immigration; vi) the current European asylum system.

Part II focuses on statistical and legislative aspects of migration in the European Union and Italy. With regard to Italy, the ISMU Foundation estimates that on 1 January 2021 there were 5 756 000 foreigners in the country, 167 000 fewer than on the same date in 2020 (-2.8%). As far as their origins are concerned, on 1 January 2021 the biggest minority national group comprised Romanians (1 138 000), followed by Albanians (410 000) and Moroccans (408 000). Concerning Italian legislation in relation to migration, close attention is paid to the consequences of the regularisation programme approved by the Italian government with Decree-Law no. 34/2020, art. 103. In this regard, the report points out that examination of immigrants’ applications for regularisation has been extremely slow. According to the report, in November - more than a year after the start of the process - only about 45% of applications had been resolved. From a legislative perspective, new updates were introduced in 2021 in relation to asylum, while citizenship reform is an ongoing debate that so far has not brought about any substantial changes in the Italian legislation.

Part III looks at the labour market, education system, healthcare access, and Italians’ attitudes toward immigrants. In particular, the report highlights that the pandemic has deepened the vulnerability of the immigrant population. In fact, due to the worsening of the overall economic situation, the employment rate of foreigners dropped significantly, falling from 61% in 2019 to 57.3% in 2020 (-2.2% for men; -4.9% for women). With regard to the Italian education system, the report underlines that there are more than 870 000 pupils with a migrant background, representing 10.3% of the total number of students enrolled in schools. In relation to health conditions, besides facing barriers in accessing services, immigrants have been more affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies have shown that migrants are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 infection because of their living and working conditions and barriers in accessing healthcare.

Part IV is dedicated to new perspectives of the European Union in relation to migration governance, and to bilateral political initiatives with African countries.

Lastly, Part V deals with specific issues, such as immigrant women’s experiences of discrimination and validation; measures for the reception of unaccompanied foreign minors; the political dimension of migration in relation to municipal elections; alternative measures to detention.