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This op-ed piece is part of a series written by Fellows of the Salzburg Global Seminar program “Public Policy New Voices Europe”
Photo Credit: Katrin Kerschbaumer
This op-ed was written by Tetiana Herasymova, Damilola Adeniran, and Marina Csikos
The intricate web of bureaucratic procedures faced by migrants in Europe has emerged as a major obstruction to the seamless integration of migrants into society and the policy space. This situation also takes an economic toll by depriving the labor market of essential skills. Therefore, the need to streamline bureaucratic processes has become imperative for fostering a more inclusive and economically vibrant society.
The slow progress of policymaking on migration issues to keep pace with the daily hurdles faced by migrants is a growing concern. They include language barriers, accommodation hurdles, social isolation, discriminatory recruitment practices, and an overly complex bureaucracy. These challenges extend to the recognition of qualifications, visa processing, family reunification, and the realization of entrepreneurial ambitions, constraining the positive contributions migrants can make to society. Moreover, the absence of a comprehensive approach to integrating immigrant children and the vulnerability of migrant women to gender-based violence during bureaucratic procedures underscores the pressing need for urgent action.
Also crucial to our vision of the future is the elimination of bureaucratic obstacles for young professionals striving to develop their careers in public policy and other fields. By digitalizing bureaucracy, we can dismantle unnecessary hurdles and empower migrants to fulfill their aspirations and contribute more meaningfully to society. Moreover, addressing Europe's colonial past through inclusive policies is essential for steering towards a more equitable and harmonious future.
A crucial component of digitalizing bureaucracy for migrants is AI-assisted documentation. This technology can simplify paperwork by offering real-time guidance, auto-translating documents, and generating pre-filled forms. Also, the creation of a collaborative document repository would be important. A secure, cloud-based space would allow migrants to store and access their important documents conveniently. This centralization simplifies document management, making it easier for migrants to present the required paperwork when needed. Additionally, the integration of a real-time language translation tool will facilitate effective communication between migrants and bureaucrats, breaking down language barriers.
The integration of services is perhaps one of the most critical reasons to digitalize bureaucracy for migrants. This will involve combining various services such as healthcare registration, job search, education enrollment, and social welfare applications. This consolidation reduces redundancy and streamlines the bureaucratic journey. Cross-agency collaboration will also be enhanced, ensuring that different government agencies can coordinate and share data efficiently through digital systems.
Finally, digitalization would make it possible for migrants to access bureaucratic services and information remotely. This would eliminate the need for them to travel long distances or miss work to engage with government offices.
As can be seen in the previous section, the digitalization of bureaucracy holds a lot of potential to deliver a more inclusive Europe. Integrating technology into administrative processes can significantly reduce processing times, minimize errors, and enhance transparency. This transformation not only benefits migrants but also streamlines government operations, making them more responsive to the dynamic challenges of a rapidly changing society.
Firstly, there are compelling economic reasons for Europe to embrace digitalization. The loss of skilled migrants due to convoluted bureaucratic procedures is not merely a social setback but also an economic one. Young professionals, pivotal to the labor market, should not encounter unnecessary obstacles in their career development. Digitalization can eliminate these barriers, allowing these individuals to thrive and contribute to the economic growth of the society.
Furthermore, digitalizing bureaucracy transcends administrative efficiency; it presents an opportunity for Europe to confront historical injustices. By acknowledging the colonial past and reclaiming justice, through digitalization, Europe can foster an environment where migrants, regardless of their background, can pursue their dreams without facing significant systemic barriers.
While migration affects societies as a whole, we know that certain groups are more at risk of facing discrimination and violence when applying for residence permits, finding accommodation, jobs, etc. Women of color, people with disabilities, people coming from a poor economic background, people who have a darker skin complexion, young people, people belonging to the LGBT* community, etc. face bigger challenges due to intersectional discrimination. Therefore, when creating any policies, or in our case a digital solution to overcome migration-related challenges, it is extremely important to consider intersectional discrimination and how we can overcome it.
Some of the concerns we identified when creating such an application included the accessibility of the digital solution since not everyone can afford a smartphone and internet. Many migrants coming to Europe in the hope of a better economic situation do not necessarily have the financial means to buy a smartphone or subscribe to the internet. Therefore, we have to make sure that either smartphones or computers are available at social service and community centers, where migrants in need can also use the digital solution. Another concern we have raised is related to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). On the one hand, it is true that using digital solutions to handle bureaucratic challenges might lower the risk of harassment and discrimination based on sexuality and gender. On the other hand, women and LGBT* people might still be at risk of violence in the digital world when using the digital solution. In order to prevent TFGBV we need to make sure that the data of the users are treated safely and privately, that there is an option to flag harassment, and that there is a 24-hour helpline available for everyone.
Even though there are several potential risks that we have to mitigate when designing such a digital solution, there are certain advantages that we have to acknowledge as well. While TFGBV is a great concern for women and LGBT* women, it is worth mentioning that by using the digital solution, physical and in-person risks could be avoided. The physical safety of migrant women is an important concern when arranging documents, renting out accommodation, etc. Migrant women who are at risk of facing physical harassment and violence due to their vulnerable situation could be safer by using this digital solution. Another important advantage is that migrant women with diverse backgrounds could come together by using the digital solution’s chat box(es) and create a safe space for themselves where they can share information, exchange experiences, or even build connections. Of course, such a chat box option needs monitoring and proper flagging in case someone violates safety and data protection.
The list of disadvantages and advantages goes on and it is important to consider all of them when designing and launching the digital solution. However, in conclusion, we can say that this solution has the potential to solve some of the safety and accessibility challenges faced by migrant women and other marginalized communities.
*LGBT: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. We are using this term as it is currently widely used in human rights conversations on sexual orientation and gender identity in many parts of the world, and we would wish it to be read as inclusive of other cultural concepts, contemporary or historical, to express sexuality and gender, intersex and gender non-conforming identities.