Migration to the EU: a survey of first-line practitioners' perceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Executive Summary This report details the results from a survey of first-line practitioners working in the field of migration, launched by the PERCEPTIONS consortium between October and December of 2020. First-line practitioners have been identified as an understudied group in migration-related research (Bayerl et. al, 2020), and the present report aims to help address this knowledge gap. The results also aim to serve as a reference for future migration-related policymaking and research. Within the PERCEPTIONS project, the insights presented in this report will help to inform the creation of materials to support both migrants and practitioners alike. The survey itself aimed to explore perceptions of Europe that first-line practitioners observe among migrants, how practitioners believe inaccurate information may influence migration, and the impacts of COVID-19 on the field of migration-related work. It was aimed at first-line practitioners of all sectors, from migrant advocacy organisations to border security experts, and was distributed in 14 countries and 11 languages . In total, 788 responses were received, with 589 participants from European countries (the majority from Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain) and 199 from non-European countries (the majority from Algeria). The sample was relatively balanced between participants working in border enforcement and those working in migrant support services