Digitalising migrant integration services during the COVID-19 pandemic: adaptation, funding and accessibility

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the enormous contributions migrants make to their communities across the world, as well as the need for cohesive integration support for the promotion of migrants’ own health and well-being. In many societies, representing a significant portion of the ‘frontline’ workforce, migrants have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic – both physically and in terms of access to information and services. The adaptation of systems to allow for online service provision has been a key focus for service providers during this global health crisis, but for many migrants – and other vulnerable groups – accessing such online support can be difficult.

The European Commission’s 'Action plan on integration and inclusion 2021-2027' highlights particular concerns around lack of internet connection, language barriers, lack of e-ID and lack of digital skills on the part of third-country nationals (TCNs) across Europe. Accordingly, this EWSI analysis focuses on the adaptation of migrant integration support services across EU countries, by examining whether existing services have been digitalised or not, whether and where new online services have been launched, and what barriers, if any, exist for TCNs in accessing these digitalised services.

The analysis does not present a comprehensive mapping of digitalised services across the EU, rather it identifies good practices in the digitalisation of relevant services and patterns in such initiatives and their funding.

Key findings

• Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, online services for TCNs existed in 24 of 27 EU countries.
• The COVID-19 outbreak and ensuing restrictions led to the digitalisation of existing services – to either a limited or comprehensive extent - or the creation of new digital services supporting TCNs in all 27 EU countries.
• Education services - particularly language courses - were the most likely type of service to be moved online across all countries.
• 14 of 27 EU countries adapted healthcare services for online delivery to a limited extent, including through the online provision of COVID-19 prevention information - such as videos and tutorials - in languages relevant to migrant populations, and online consultations with general practitioners and an accompanying interpreter.
• For some civil-society-led initiatives supporting TCNs, the switch to online delivery led to increased availability of volunteers (working remotely) and a decrease in project costs.
• Other civil-society-led initiatives were forced to close due to COVID-19-related funding cuts or were unable to provide beneficiaries with the technology they needed to access newly digitalised services.
• Digital access remains particularly difficult for recently arrived TCNs and other more vulnerable migrant groups, and the global health crisis has served to compound this.
• More effort is needed on the part of most EU countries to promote digital inclusion alongside digitalisation.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the digitalisation of integration support services across the EU. For the wider public, as well as for many third-country nationals, the adaptation of systems to allow for online service provision has led to increased access to essential support, more timely sharing of information and a greater sense of connectivity. This analysis found that COVID-19 restrictions have led to the digitalisation of existing services – to either a limited or comprehensive extent - or the creation of new digital services supporting TCNs in all 27 EU countries. Education services were the type of service most often digitalised across all EU countries, and for some civil-society-led initiatives supporting TCNs the switch to online delivery led to increased availability of volunteers (working remotely). At the same time, civil-society-led initiatives in several countries were forced to close due to pandemic-related funding cuts or were unable to provide beneficiaries with the technology they needed to access newly digitalised services.

The capacity of digital services to bring people together and to offer remote support to those that need it has been truly accentuated by this health crisis. The pandemic has also made it very clear, however, that there are vulnerable, isolated groups across the EU - and across the world - for whom online access remains difficult if not impossible, and that therefore greater, concerted effort is needed to achieve full digital inclusion. This could involve investing in digital skills and language training for third-country nationals, facilitating their access to digital infrastructure by providing subsidies for the purchase of internet connections, smartphones and laptops, and creating community-driven forums and programmes wherein digitalisation can be promoted in an inclusive and culturally sensitive fashion.