CELSI Scientific Director Martin Kahanec delivered a keynote address at the national conference “Sustainable Labour Mobility in Action: Bilateral Pathways for a Prosperous Slovakia,” organised by IOM Slovakia as part of the European Migration Network (EMN).

The event took place on November 11, 2025, in Bratislava, under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic.

Exploring sustainable labour mobility for Slovakia’s future

The conference opened an important debate on how Slovakia can develop fair, sustainable, and mutually beneficial partnerships in labour mobility. With Slovakia facing demographic pressures, labour shortages, and increasing demand for skilled workers, the discussions highlighted the potential of well-governed labour mobility as a tool for resilience, competitiveness, and growth.

In his keynote “Labour Mobility as a Tool for Economic Resilience and Growth,” Martin Kahanec addressed the strategic role of labour mobility in strengthening the Slovak labour market. He emphasised its potential to:

• ease existing workforce shortages,
• support economic dynamism,
• enable skills matching,
• and create win-win solutions for partner countries through well-managed bilateral pathways.

He also reflected on labour mobility as an evidence-based policy instrument that can contribute to long-term prosperity when combined with strong institutions, fair recruitment practices, and protections for workers.

Rich international perspectives

The conference featured contributions from representatives of EU and non-EU countries, government institutions, international organisations, and labour market experts. Speakers and panelists included:

Karol Jokl (Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family SR)

Gianluca Rocco (IOM Sub-Regional Office in Europe)

Anita Vella (European Commission)

Martin Kahanec (CELSI, Central European University, University of Economics in Bratislava)

Vassiliy Yuzhanin (IOM Cyprus)

Haben Gebremedhin (Federal Employment Agency, Germany)

Elisa Filippetti (Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, Italy)

François Faye (Belgian Development Agency – Enabel, Senegal)

Nada Senada Plestenjak (ZRSZ)

Delmer Cruz (Philippine Embassy in Vienna)

H.E. Bakhtiyor Ibragimov (Embassy of Uzbekistan)

H.E. Apoorva Srivastava (Embassy of India)

Valon Halimi (IOM Slovakia)

Participants exchanged practical experiences with bilateral labour mobility pathways, examples of cooperation with partner countries, and challenges related to ethical recruitment, integration, skills recognition, and long-term sustainability.

CELSI thanks IOM Slovakia and all partners for organising this timely and highly relevant event and for creating an invaluable platform for dialogue among experts, policymakers, and international stakeholders.