Biography
Martin Ruhs is Professor of Migration Studies and Deputy Director of the Migration Policy Centre (MPC) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. He was previously Professor of Political Economy at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on the economics and politics of international migration, with a strong international comparative dimension. In recent years, he has been particularly interested in the sources and management of value conflicts in migration policies; the nature and implications of political feasibility constraints; and how national institutions –such as national labour regulations, welfare states, and associated social norms– shape individuals’ and host country responses to migration.
Ruhs is the author or co-editor of several books, including The Price of Rights: Regulating International Labor Migration (Princeton University Press 2013), Bridging the Gaps: Linking Research to Public Debates and Policy Making on Migration and Integration (Oxford University Press 2019), and Who Needs Migrant Workers? Labour Shortages, Immigration and Public Policy (Oxford University Press 2010). His research is also published in leading academic journals, such as International Organization, Journal of European Public Policy, Industrial & Labor Relations Review, and the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.
Alongside his research, Ruhs frequently advises national governments and international institutions. He recently led the EU-funded ‘PRIME’ project on irregular migration (2023–2026) and co-authored policy studies for the Council of Europe on future European policies toward people displaced from Ukraine (2026), and for the European Parliament on the rights of irregular migrant workers (2022). A frequent contributor to public debates, he has written for the New York Times, Financial Times, Guardian, and Irish Times.