Migration policy of countries in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

The article is devoted to the study of new trends arising under the COVID-19 pandemic impact in the migration policies of recipient countries. Migration policy as the activity of states in regulating migration flows is a highly controversial sphere in which changes in the activities of state structures and in migrants’ situation in the host countries have been revealed. The example of the policies of several countries shows that the spread of coronavirus infection has created a situation where it was impossible to make the best decisions, which explains the fact that for migrants and migration in general, governments have taken different, sometimes even opposing decisions. The crisis situation actualized restrictive measures in migration policy. In particular, the attention of leaders of countries and some international organizations was focused on labor migrants, who are the largest group among migrants and in the pandemic conditions are in the most difficult situation because of restrictions related to movement and work. The article reveals a new understanding of migration as a process that needs to be not only controlled but also planned, since the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that not only migrant workers need work and earnings, but also many countries need migrant workers in a variety of sectors of activity. It is shown that in many labor-importing countries, the lack of necessary workers in the conditions of the pandemic caused great damage to the economy. The novelty of the research lies in the analysis of global migration policy practices in the context of the pandemic and the crisis caused by it. In particular, by studying the decisions on migration and migrants made by a number of governments during 2020-2021, conclusions are drawn about the most likely trends in international migration policy. The practical significance is determined by the possibilities of applying the results of the study in the development of new approaches to migration policy.