Migration in West and North Africa and across the Mediterranean - Chapter 5

This chapter explores differences and similarities between migrants who have recently arrived in Libya and those who have been there for at least one year, along the dimensions of labour migration, employment, intentions, remittances, access to services,humanitarian needs and vulnerabilities, based on International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) Libya’s Flow Monitoring and Mobility Tracking data. Although migration to Libya for both groups is primarily driven by economic motivations, available data gathered through thematic humanitarian needs modules of DTM Libya’s Flow Monitoring Survey (FMS) indicate that more recently arrived migrants showed higher vulnerability levels across several indicators, while those who have been in country for more than one year report higher employment rates and remittances. At the same time, both are negatively impacted by structural problems, such as Libya’s severely constrained health system, limited access to public services, and cross-cutting protection risks related to irregular migration and the protracted conflict in Libya. Labour migration policies and programmes as part of comprehensive migration management are a critical need, affecting both recently arrived migrants and those who have been staying in Libya for extended periods.