The price of rights: regulating international migration

Many low-income countries and development organisations are calling for greater liberalisation of labour immigration policies in high-income countries. At the same time, human rights organisations and migrant rights advocates are demanding more equal rights for migrant workers. In his new book, The Price of Rights, Dr Martin Ruhs shows why we cannot always have both.

Dr Ruhs analyses how high-income countries restrict the rights of migrant workers as part of their labour immigration policies and discusses the implications for global debates about regulating labour migration and protecting migrants. The analysis looks at the tensions between human rights and citizenship rights, the agency and interests of migrants and states, and the determinants and ethics of labour immigration policy.

In this talk, Dr Ruhs discusses the main findings and arguments of the book and explores the implications for debates about policies for admitting asylum seekers and refugees.