Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

Migrants across Spain are expressing hope and relief as the government prepares to launch an extraordinary regularization programme that could allow up to half a million people to live and work legally. The initiative is expected to provide residence permits and open new opportunities for those who have been living in the country without a formal status. In Barcelona, Merly Arévalo from Colombia says the plan could change her life after four years of living in uncertainty. She hopes to obtain legal work and continue her training so she can move beyond caregiving and cleaning jobs into a career that…

When Keir Starmer stood alongside Emmanuel Macron last year to announce a new migration agreement, the UK government described the “one in, one out” scheme as a major step toward reducing dangerous small boat crossings. The policy allows the UK to return some migrants who arrive by boat to France while accepting others through legal routes, in an effort to discourage irregular journeys across the Channel. Since returns began, however, only a few hundred people have been sent back, roughly matching the number admitted legally — a figure critics say is small compared with daily crossings. Reports from returned asylum…

Greece is working with several European partners to establish “return hubs” in non-EU countries where rejected asylum seekers could be sent, as governments move to tighten migration policies across the region. The initiative is being coordinated with Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Denmark, reflecting growing efforts to improve deportation systems within Europe’s evolving migration framework. Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said the countries are discussing practical steps to create the facilities, which would likely be located in willing non-EU states, “preferably in Africa,” though no final location has been agreed. Officials have already held meetings, and technical teams are expected…

Recent political debates in the United Kingdom have once again placed migration at the centre of concerns about pressures on the health system. Figures linked to Reform UK, including Suella Braverman and party chairman Zia Yusuf, argued that rising migration is straining GP services and making it harder for patients to secure appointments. Their claims followed data from the Centre for Migration Control suggesting that hundreds of thousands of migrants registered with GPs last year, fuelling renewed political tension around the future of healthcare. However, closer examination of the figures paints a more nuanced picture. The registration category cited includes…

Estonia has taken a major step in advancing inclusive health education by becoming the first country in the world to embed global standards for refugee and migrant health into its medical training. The move was implemented through the University of Tartu, which has incorporated the WHO Global Competency Standards into its curriculum as an elective e-course, helping to prepare future health professionals to better serve diverse populations. The standards were developed by the World Health Organization under its Special Initiative on Health and Migration. They outline the key skills and behaviours health workers need to provide high-quality care for refugees…

Spain is preparing a major policy that could allow about 500,000 undocumented migrants already living in the country to gain legal status. The government led by Pedro Sánchez has started legal steps for the plan by placing a draft decree into public consultation as part of the formal approval process. Officials say the goal is to bring people who are already working and living in Spain into the legal system so they can contribute openly to the economy and society. The proposal is expected to cover foreign nationals who were in Spain before the end of December 2025, can show…

A growing debate over migration policy in Europe is highlighting sharply different approaches between Greece and Spain, with one country tightening enforcement and the other moving toward regularising undocumented migrants. The contrast reflects a broader tension across the European Union over whether migration should be managed primarily through deterrence or integration. The discussion gained renewed attention following analysis by Shepherd Mutsvara of the University of Münster, who described how policies on the ground reveal deeper social and political choices about belonging, protection, and economic reality. His reflections point to the lived experiences of migrants as a key lens through which…

Authorities in Italy have clarified that the country’s latest migration decree is not expected to significantly affect unaccompanied migrant children, according to Marina Terragni, head of the Guarantor Authority for Infancy and Adolescence (AGIA). The decree, approved by the Italian Council of Ministers, aims to strengthen measures against irregular migration while maintaining protections for vulnerable minors. Terragni explained that although the reform introduces broader changes to migration management, unaccompanied minors — estimated at around 17,000 in Italy — should continue to benefit from existing safeguards. These protections include the “administrative continuation” system, which allows young migrants who received support as…

The government of Greece is working with four European Union partners to explore the creation of detention centers for rejected asylum seekers outside Europe, with locations most likely to be in Africa. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said the initiative is being developed in cooperation with Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Denmark as part of broader efforts to manage returns. Speaking to state broadcaster ERT, Plevris explained that returning migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected has proven difficult, as arrivals continue while deportations lag behind. He noted that some countries of origin refuse to readmit their nationals, creating challenges for…

A school in Crotone has confirmed that a planned commemoration marking the anniversary of the tragic Cutro shipwreck will go ahead as scheduled on February 25, following days of uncertainty and public debate. The event, titled “Steccato di Cutro, an open wound, the value of humanity,” will be held at the Barlacchi-Lucifero institute to honor the 94 people who lost their lives, including 35 children, when a migrant boat sank off the coast in February 2023. The school had initially faced criticism after reports emerged that the memorial might be blocked due to concerns about government guidance on ensuring balanced…