Innovations in Migration Research to Overcome Current Data Deficits

Existing national panel surveys are limited in their ability to capture the dynamic nature of migrants’ cross-border trajectories, often losing track of individuals once they leave a country. This results in fragmented data on migrants’ life courses. To address this gap in understanding, we propose conceptual and methodological innovations, including improved survey methods and refined sample definitions, aimed at overcoming this data deficit. We also present best-practice examples that highlight the potential of these approaches to enhance empirical migration research and better align it with contemporary theoretical advancements.