E.g., 06/30/2023
E.g., 06/30/2023
Maria Vincenza Desiderio
MPI Authors

Maria Vincenza Desiderio

Maria Vincenza Desiderio is a senior independent expert on migration, integration, development, and qualification recognition policies. She has published widely and regularly advises governments, international organizations, and civil society on these issues. Previously, she was a Senior Policy Analyst at the Migration Policy Institute Europe, where her work focused on economic migration, immigrant integration, foreign credentials recognition, and the linkages between migration and development. She has also worked as a Migration Analyst at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and as a Research Officer at the International Organization for Migration, where she coordinated the research activities of the Independent Network of Labour Migration and Labour Market Integration Experts (LINET).

Ms. Desiderio holds a master’s degree with honours in international relations, with specialization in European economic policy and the role of migration, and a bachelor’s degree in political science, both from the University of Rome, La Sapienza. She also earned a certificate in asylum law and international law.

 

Bio Page Tabs

Cover image for Displaced Ukrainians in European Labor Markets
Reports
May 2023
Displaced Ukrainians in European Labor Markets: Leveraging Innovations for More Inclusive Integration
By  Maria Vincenza Desiderio and Kate Hooper
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Reports
March 2017
Improving the Labour Market Integration of Migrants and Refugees: Empowering Cities through Better Use of EU Instruments
By  Kate Hooper, Maria Vincenza Desiderio and Brian Salant
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Reports
February 2017
Reinventing Mutual Recognition Arrangements: Lessons from International Experiences and Insights for the ASEAN Region
By  Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza, Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Maria Vincenza Desiderio, Brian Salant, Kate Hooper and Taylor Elwood
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Reports
January 2017
Open Windows, Closed Doors: Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Professional Services in the ASEAN Region
By  Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza, Maria Vincenza Desiderio, Guntur Sugiyarto and Brian Salant
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Reports
October 2016
Integrating Refugees into Host Country Labor Markets: Challenges and Policy Options
By  Maria Vincenza Desiderio
coverthumb MPIE Canada ExpressEntry
Reports
March 2016
The Canadian Expression of Interest System: A Model to Manage Skilled Migration to the European Union?
By  Maria Vincenza Desiderio and Kate Hooper
coverthumb MPI Europe INTERACT Predeparture
Policy Briefs
February 2015
Improving Migrants' Labour Market Integration in Europe from the Outset: A Cooperative Approach to Predeparture Measures
By  Maria Vincenza Desiderio and Kate Hooper
coverthumb TCM Cities Entrepreneurship
Reports
August 2014
Policies to Support Immigrant Entrepreneurship
By  Maria Vincenza Desiderio

Pages

Image of women and young children from Ukraine arriving at train station in Bucharest
Commentaries
October 2022
Why the European Labor Market Integration of Displaced Ukrainians Is Defying Expectations
By  Maria Vincenza Desiderio and Kate Hooper
EUflags EUParliament Flickr
Commentaries
June 2016
Blue Card Redux: European Commission Plan to Recast Work Permit for Highly Skilled Holds Question Marks
By  Maria Vincenza Desiderio

Recent Activity

Reports
May 2023

Displaced Ukrainians in European Labor Markets: Leveraging Innovations for More Inclusive Integration

With millions of Ukrainians seeking safety in Europe, receiving countries are facing considerable pressure and also potential opportunities to benefit from this highly qualified population’s skills. This report explores displaced Ukrainians’ early employment outcomes, common challenges to finding jobs commensurate to their skills, and opportunities to more fully support their labor market integration.

Commentaries
October 2022

Why the European Labor Market Integration of Displaced Ukrainians Is Defying Expectations

People displaced from Ukraine are finding work more rapidly in European countries than prior refugee cohorts. But uncertainty over how long they will stay, combined with hurdles such as language barriers, has meant many are prioritizing any job over the right job. This commentary examines how policymakers could address this waste of skills as they seek to fill pressing labor needs and facilitate deeper integration of the new arrivals.

Reports
March 2017

Improving the Labour Market Integration of Migrants and Refugees: Empowering Cities through Better Use of EU Instruments

Cities have played a significant role in addressing Europe’s migration crisis, including by helping migrants and refugees integrate successfully into the local labor market. This report identifies concrete actions that could be taken to better leverage European Union soft law, funding, and knowledge exchange mechanisms to support cities’ activities in this area and to deliver more effective services.

 

Reports
February 2017

Reinventing Mutual Recognition Arrangements: Lessons from International Experiences and Insights for the ASEAN Region

As Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States work to facilitate the movement of professionals, the experiences of other countries hold promise for policymakers and licensing bodies in Southeast Asia as they deepen implementation of mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) that seek to establish a uniform and transparent way of recognizing the qualifications of foreign workers. This report offers key lessons.

Reports
January 2017

Open Windows, Closed Doors: Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Professional Services in the ASEAN Region

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States have approved Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) in the tourism sector and in six regulated occupations to ease the movement of professionals within the region. This report compares the approaches taken to facilitate mutual recognition of qualifications within the region, the factors that shaped each MRA approach, and their tradeoffs and policy implications.

Reports
October 2016

Integrating Refugees into Host Country Labor Markets: Challenges and Policy Options

Countries receiving large numbers of asylum seekers are facing huge challenges in meeting newcomers' immediate needs, yet longer-term integration issues could prolong the crisis if not addressed. This report assesses the barriers refugees and asylum seekers face getting into jobs, and particularly at their skill level. The report identifies policies that support labor market integration, including early skills assessment and training. 

Commentaries
June 2016

Blue Card Redux: European Commission Plan to Recast Work Permit for Highly Skilled Holds Question Marks

The European Commission has unveiled a bold plan to revitalize the Blue Card system, which has proven lackluster in attracting highly skilled international talent and has received little uptake from Member States. This commentary examines the proposal and its possible effects, and discusses possible reactions by EU Member States, many of whom are likely to mount resistance to the plan.

Reports
March 2016

The Canadian Expression of Interest System: A Model to Manage Skilled Migration to the European Union?

This report examines Canada's implementation of Express Entry, a system designed to fast-track for legal immigration the skilled immigrants deemed most likely to achieve economic success and positive integration outcomes. With the European Union seeking ways to better attract global talent, the report explores how the expression of interest system could offer mechanisms to improve the management of highly skilled migration.

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