Welfare Systems as Emigration Factor: Evidence from the New Accession States

This article analyzes the role of welfare systems in shaping migration patterns in central and eastern Europe. It argues that states have played a crucial role in affecting migration by creating and widening opportunities for potential and actual migrants through welfare system policies. This explains why CEE countries where social spending figures have been lower, unemployment benefit schemes less extensive and where labour market mismatches remained unaddressed, experienced greater out‐migration. The article contributes to our understanding of how sending countries’ institutional factors affect out‐migration by investigating the role of sending states’ institutions.