Policy Brief 5 - Tracing migration aspirations over time: insights from Asia–Europe video diaries

Based on 284 video diaries from migrants across eleven Asian and European countries, our new AspirE Policy Brief offers fresh, evidence-based insights into how migration and (re)migration decisions unfold over time. The findings reveal how migrants’ aspirations shift in response to life events, family responsibilities, labour market conditions, and administrative hurdles. The brief highlights several structural challenges shaping migrants’ journeys: long bureaucratic delays that create extended periods of “structural waiting,” fragmented procedures that limit access to rights and services, and the powerful influence of intermediaries (formal and informal) that often fuel misinformation and post-arrival frustration. It also shows how sudden policy changes can disrupt mobility plans, and how language barriers continue to hinder integration and well-being. To address these issues, the policy brief outlines practical recommendations for more transparent information systems, predictable policy implementation, stronger language and integration support, and better-coordinated administrative processes.