Informing Migration Decisions: Experimental Evidence from Georgia

Persistent labor shortages, particularly within high-skilled occupations, have prompted the European Union to reform its labor migration policies, most notably by relaxing the issuance requirements for the EU Blue Card since 2021. Several Member States have also undertaken localized reforms, which include reducing residency requirements, simplifying pathways to citizenship, and eliminating labor market tests. These measures intend to attract high-skilled workers from the non-EU countries. However, a significant barrier persists: many high-skilled workers outside the EU may remain unaware of these evolving policy frameworks. This paper investigates the impact of information frictions concerning labor migration policies, with a focus on how access to accurate information shapes migration intentions and destination choices among high-skilled workers from third countries. Using a randomized controlled trial among public university students in Georgia, the study investigates the extent to which migrants harbour biased beliefs about migration requirements and assesses how providing reliable policy information affects their destination preferences. These findings will underscore the importance of addressing information gaps to enhance labor allocation efficiency and optimize migration outcomes. By shifting focus from irregular migration to recruitment and retention of high-skilled workers, this research will highlight the potential of targeted policy communication strategies to reduce bias in perceptions and effectively attract the skilled labor force, thereby alleviating persistent labor shortages across Europe.