This brief assesses migration policy reactions by OECD countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reviews the short-term policy responses from March to early June, and identifies some of the possible medium- and longer-term challenges to migration management. The brief is part of the OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

• In most OECD countries, travel bans have been quickly put in place to prevent importing new COVID19 cases; however, in most cases, nationals and long-term residents have been able to come back home;
• By end-May 2020, most OECD countries imposed quarantine periods;
• A number of exemptions to the travel bans have been established in favour of cross border workers, seasonal workers and health professionals;
• Migration and asylum offices as well as consular services abroad have been closed to public for one to three months in most countries, and backlogs of applications quickly increased; some countries have facilitated online applications or email communication, while return and resettlement activities have been largely suspended;
• For those unable to leave as a result of the pandemic, most OECD countries have offered blanket relief measures or the possibility to remain;
• Most OECD countries offer access to treatment for COVID19 for all categories of migrants; countries like France or Belgium already offered free universal access to health care prior to the crisis; others like Portugal have temporarily regularised migrants in an irregular situation to ensure full access;
• A a number of issues with respect to migration management will arise linked to the management of application backlogs, attractiveness for international students and highly-skilled migrants, adoption of new health criteria in migration management and the adjustment of returns and humanitarian assistance operations;
• Previous economic crises suggest that the downturn associated with the COVID19 pandemic may have disproportionate and long-lasting negative effects on the integration of immigrants and their children unless appropriate support measures are in place;
• In the context of a severe economic recession and increasing challenges for maintaining social cohesion, support for proactive migration policies may also risk decline.

For updates, visit OECD's website here.

For more, see a joint brief on the COVID-19 measures to manage residence permit and unemployment among migrant communities by the OECS and the European Migration Network (EMN).

See also EWSI's summary on COVID-19's effects on migrant communities here.