Europe | Charlemagne

Europe is stuck in a need-hate relationship with migrants

Alas, the EU is facing a fresh migration crisis

A group of migrants look through a barbed-wire fence at a factory advertising for workers — Image: Peter Schrank

Oct 4th 2023

A surge of small boats is arriving on Europe’s southern shores, brimming with migrants willing to work, for example doing low-skilled jobs in construction or caring for the elderly. In entirely separate news, Europe has a mounting shortage of workers, especially in low-skilled sectors such as construction or taking care of the elderly. To some, that may suggest a solution about as complex as slotting the last piece into a jigsaw puzzle. Alas, migration is not amenable to such reasoning. Countries have borders for good reasons; economic needs are often subservient to political imperatives. Still, the end result is that Europe is nuttily deploying barbed-wire fences and “workers wanted” banners at the same time. Meanwhile, thousands are drowning as they try to reach a place that may soon realise it needs them.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “The migrant paradox”