Migration Policy Development

For the most part, 2006-07 has been a relatively “quiet” period in international migration for OECD members, without new major perturbations in flows. This has provided governments with time to reflect on their policies, introduce new measures and in some cases embark on substantial structural and institutional changes in the organisation of their administration of migration policy and process. Some of the legislative or operational changes represent the continuation or completion of unfinished business, others are new initiatives. During the period under review almost all OECD countries brought in legislative change. Australia, Finland, France, Mexico, the Netherlands and Sweden had changes of government, the consequences being that proposed Bills fell with the old government and/or new directions were taken by their successors with new programmes for dealing with migration. In the United States, failure to get agreement on new legislation has created a hiatus, pending new elections in 2008.