Global Skills and Talent Initiative
MPI's cross-programmatic Global Skills and Talent Initiative examines the role of immigration in addressing labor shortages and evolving workforce needs in a dynamic period of economic shifts, demographic pressures, and technological advances.
Anchored in the premise that immigration policy must be part of a broader skills and talent strategy that considers economic, social, and national-interest imperatives, the Initiative has a particular focus on employment-based immigration and the supports that can help immigrants apply their full range of educational and professional skills.
Also collected here is work drawing on more than two decades of MPI research that focuses on 1) human capital and skills; 2) immigrant selection systems; 3) labor market integration; 4) the future of work; 5) migration partnerships; and 6) harnessing the benefits of immigration.
Featured
The Immigration Debate America Needs—and Is Not Having
Immigration is central to America’s economic future, yet debate fixates on border crises and policy failures instead of how a modern legal…
How Can Labour Migration Policies Help Tackle Europe’s Looming Skills Crisis?
With three-quarters of EU employers struggling to find workers, coordinated labour migration reforms offer Europe a pragmatic way to narrow its…
Showing 1–10 of 45 results
The Immigration Debate America Needs—and Is Not Having
Immigration is central to America’s economic future, yet debate fixates on border crises and policy failures instead of how a modern legal immigration system could power U.S. competitiveness.
Creating Inclusive Urban Economies for Migrants and Refugees
Cities hold powerful levers to turn migrants' and refugees' underused talent into economic growth—but doing so requires moving beyond first-job placement toward durable inclusion.
Best Practices for Designing and Managing Labour Migration Corridors to Europe
Weak visa access, poor skills recognition, and thin worker-employer matching hobble five EU labour corridors, with targeted reforms key to unlocking shared gains.
How Can Labour Migration Policies Help Tackle Europe’s Looming Skills Crisis?
With three-quarters of EU employers struggling to find workers, coordinated labour migration reforms offer Europe a pragmatic way to narrow its growing skills gap.
Engaging Employers in Growing Refugee Labor Pathways
Refugee labor pathways in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom show promise, but scaling requires smarter outreach, policy reforms, and stronger government involvement.
Leveraging Digital Skills: Immigrant-Origin High School Graduates Offer a Pool of Talent for U.S. Employers
With immigrants and their U.S.-born children expected to drive all net growth in the future labor force, there is a significant opportunity to leverage the digital skills of immigrant-origin adults to meet growing employer demand for technologically adept workers. This commentary draws on analysis of PIAAC data to study the skills of U.S. adults by immigrant generation.
Competing for Talent: What Role Can Employment- and Skills-Based Mobility Projects Play?
Skills-based mobility projects face scale challenges. Better planning, private-sector buy-in, and longer timeframes are needed to match workers with jobs across borders.
How Immigrants and Their U.S.-Born Children Fit into the Future U.S. Labor Market
Immigrants and their U.S.-born children have driven all U.S. labor force growth since 2000 but face the need to upskill as nearly three-quarters of jobs in 2031 will require postsecondary credentials.
A New Way Forward for Employment-Based Immigration: The Bridge Visa
With the United States facing growing demographic pressures and labor needs, MPI is proposing creation of a bridge visa as a means of bringing flexibility to an employment system last overhauled by Congress in 1990.
Shared Gains: Immigrant-Origin Students in U.S. Colleges
Immigrant-origin students represent a growing share of U.S. college enrollment, rising from one in five pupils in 2000 to one in three as of 2021—cushioning overall enrollment declines.
