BIG DATA FOR MIGRATION

Marzia Rango

International Organisation for Migration, Global Migration data Analysis Centre

Michele Vespe

European Commission, Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography

LANDSCAPE OF EXISTING MIGRATION DATA

• Population Census

• Surveys

• Population registers

• Administrative data

• Operational data

• Non-traditional data /big data

#HorizonEU #EUatESOF #ESOF1018

Reliability, frequency, attributes,

sample size/frame, granularity,

timeliness, costs…

WHY (BETTER) MIGRATION DATA?

To (better):

- balance the public debate on migration;

- understand migration;

- evidence-inform migration policies.

MIGRATION DATA INNOVATION POTENTIAL I: TIMELINESS/FREQUENCY

Stock of people

born in Venezuela

that live in Spain

Stock of people

born in Venezuela

that live in Spain

MIGRATION DATA INNOVATION POTENTIAL I: TIMELINESS/FREQUENCY

Stock of people

born in Venezuela

that live in Spain

MIGRATION DATA INNOVATION POTENTIAL I: TIMELINESS/FREQUENCY

Stock of people

born in Venezuela

that live in Spain

MIGRATION DATA INNOVATION POTENTIAL I: TIMELINESS/FREQUENCY

MIGRATION DATA INNOVATION POTENTIAL II: CHARACTERISTICS

LINKEDIN USERS WHO STUDIED IN

SYRIA

370

270

220 220

190

150 140 130 130

100 80 80 70 50 40 40 40 30 30 30 30 20 20 10 10 10

… In Germany

Density of mobile phone

traffic with China and areas

of highest concentration of

migrants from 2011

Census

Sources: - Italian Census Data & - Call Detail Records, Telecom Italia

MIGRATION DATA INNOVATION POTENTIAL III: GRANULARITY (SPACE)

CHALLENGES

- Data access

- Confidentiality

- Security/ethical issues

- Methodology (bias)

- Fragmentation

- Definitions

HOW TO HARNESS DATA INNOVATION

Big Data for Migration Alliance (BD4M)

• Launched on 25 June 2018 in Brussels

• Convened by:

The EC KCMD & IOM’s GMDAC

• Aim: foster data innovation for migration

analysis & policymaking through partnerships Launch of the Big Data for Migration Alliance, Joint Research Centre,

Brussels, 25 June 2018. © European Commission 2018

BD4M

a) Awareness-raising and knowledge-sharing

Repository of big data & migration projects

Creation of a network of data stewards

b) Capacity-building

Preparation of guide and training materials

‘Study visits’ and cross-country exchanges

c) Policy-oriented analysis

Exploring EU/global frameworks to sponsor applied research (e.g. issuing data

challenges)

Working paper series

Launch of the Big Data for Migration Alliance, Joint Research

Centre, Brussels, 25 June 2018. © European Commission 2018

CONCLUSIONS

Data can help balance the public debate around an often

misconceived theme such as migration

Policy advice and knowledge management for migration require

full awareness of data opportunities and limitations

Data timeliness, disaggregation by time, space and attributes can

be addressed through research and alternative methods

Any questions? You can find us at

@MarziaRango MRango@iom.int

@M_Vespe michele.vespe@ec.europa.eu