In this ambitious study

Anna K. Boucher and Justin Gest present a unique analysis of immigration governance across thirty countries. Relying on a database of immigration demographics in the world's most important destinations, they present a novel taxonomy and an analysis of what drives different approaches to immigration policy over space and time.

Context and Findings

In an era defined by inequality, populism, and fears of international terrorism, they find that governments are converging toward a "Market Model" that seeks immigrants for short-term labor with fewer outlets to citizenship — an approach that resembles the increasingly contingent nature of labor markets worldwide.