Issue Electoral cycles make migration policy unplannable

Summary

EY points to policy volatility as a major obstacle to using migration well. Companies cannot plan talent strategies over many years when visa rules shift with each election. The gap between long-horizon economic needs and short political cycles produces constant uncertainty. When arrivals come quickly and integration lags, visible pressure on rents and public services feeds a backlash. That backlash in turn drives sudden policy reversals that disregard the economic forces behind migration demand, and EY adds that public acceptance of migration ultimately rests on showing that integration works and on trust.