Ministers and senior officials from three continents, Europe, Africa, and Asia, will gather in Vienna next week to discuss how geopolitical and security developments, displacement and economic transformation are reshaping migration policies and international cooperation. Migration partnerships, recovery and reconstruction, as well as changing global labour markets are at the centre of this year's conference.
Vienna, 12 November 2026 – Ministers and senior officials from 20 countries will lead the discussions in Vienna on Monday and Tuesday 16-17 November for the Vienna Migration Conference 2026 (VMC2026). In its 11th edition, the conference is set to break a new record, becoming Europe’s biggest migration conference. It is hosted by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
Geopolitical tensions, conflicts, demographic change, and economic transformation are reshaping migration patterns and policy priorities worldwide. Governments are reassessing their approaches to migration management, international protection and labour mobility, while seeking to adapt cooperation with partner countries to changing political, security and economic realities.
The conference will bring together ministers and senior officials from across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, including government representatives of Albania, Armenia, Austria, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Jordan, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Sweden, Uganda, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates.
Susanne Raab, Director General of ICMPD, said:
Building on its long-standing role, the Vienna Migration Conference is set to elevate migration discussions to a new level. With ministerial participation from across Europe and far beyond, our conference provides an outstanding platform where ministers and representatives sit at the same table shaping the future of migration partnerships.Susanne Raab, Director General of ICMPD
Migration partnerships in a changing geopolitical and security landscape
How are geopolitical tensions, security challenges and shifting national priorities reshaping migration policies and international partnerships? Bart van den Brink, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Asylum and Migration of the Netherlands; Morten Bødskov, Denmark's Minister of Immigration and Integration; Athanasios Plevris, Greece's Minister of Migration and Asylum; Jim O'Callaghan, Ireland's Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; and Mazin Al Farrayeh, Jordan's Minister of the Interior, will discuss how governments are adapting their migration strategies to a changing international landscape, with Director General Susanne Raab.
Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt will explore shared migration priorities and opportunities for closer cooperation. Ministers and senior officials from Albania, Armenia, North Macedonia, Norway and Portugal will examine how geography and different national realities shape migration priorities across Europe.
Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens and the EU Agency for Asylum Executive Director Nina Gregori will examine evolving security and protection challenges at Europe's external borders, while The Economist's David Rennie will explore the impact of global power dynamics on migration policy. Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister Neveen Elhusseiny and UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Edem Wosornu, alongside senior representatives from Uganda and IOM, will discuss how cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination can help address complex migration movements and translate whole-of-route approaches into practice.
Displacement, recovery and resilience
How can Ukraine rebuild its workforce and economy amid the lasting consequences of war and displacement? Ukraine's Deputy Ministers Dariia Marchak, Sweden's Migration Minister Johan Forssell and Poland's Undersecretary of State Maciej Duszczyk will explore the role of skills, investment and international partnerships in Ukraine's recovery. Rwanda's Interior Minister Vincent Biruta will offer perspectives on refugee protection, regional mobility and international cooperation.
The global competition for skills
As demographic pressures and economic shifts transform labour markets, countries are rethinking how to attract and mobilise talent. Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary at India's Ministry of External Affairs, will discuss the future of labour mobility cooperation with Europe, while senior representatives from the African Migration Observatory, the United Arab Emirates and the OECD will examine changing demand for workers within and across different world regions, and the opportunities and challenges presented by international skills mobility.
The conference will conclude with a forward-looking discussion between Beate Gminder, Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission, and Susanne Raab on Europe's next migration priorities.
All plenary sessions will be livestreamed.
About ICMPD
The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is an international organisation with 21 Member States, working in more than 90 countries worldwide. Contributing to the development of better and safer migration policies and programmes, ICMPD takes a holistic approach to migration: structurally linking policy and research, cooperation, community outreach, and capacity development. With over 600 staff members, it takes a regional approach in its work towards cooperation and partnerships along key migration routes, with a focus on Africa, Central and South Asia, Europe, Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Founded in 1993 with its headquarters in Vienna and a liaison office in Brussels, ICMPD holds UN observer status and cooperates with more than 200 partners including EU institutions, UN agencies, Member States, and several additional countries. ICMPD receives contributions from its Member States and bilateral donors, the European Commission, UN partners and other multilateral institutions.
Photo by Nadine Studeny