Blog: Gendered Impacts of Migration Policies on Economic Resilience in Algeria

Introduction

Algeria’s position as a key transit and destination country in North Africa has made it central to regional migration dynamics. These include irregular migration flows, human trafficking networks, asylum seeking, and economic migration—primarily from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Niger, Mali, and Guinea (Bartolomeo et al., 2010: 2). Between 2015 and 2019, Algeria’s international migrant population grew by 10,000, with the number of refugees remaining steady at around 100,000; by mid-2020, migrants made up 0.6 per cent of the country’s population (250,400), with 47.2 per cent of them women (Internal Human Development, 2024). For Algeria, these dynamics are influenced by its proximity to both sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, making it a crucial hub for migrants seeking better economic opportunities or fleeing conflict zones through large cities such as Oran, Algiers, and most notably, the southern city of Tamanrasset, a predominantly migrant city close to the border with Niger (Sanchez et al., 2021: 80). The intersection of gender and migration policy strongly influences economic outcomes for migrants, yet this dimension remains understudied in the context of Algeria’s development landscape.

By regulating the flow of people, access to resources, and integration into the labor market, migration policies have a major impact on the economic resilience of migrant populations (Raouf & Reda, 2022: 353). Economic resilience refers to the capacity of migrants to access formal employment, accumulate wealth, maintain stable income sources, and withstand financial shocks through legitimate participation in financial systems, social protection mechanisms, and professional networks (Sikder & Higgins, 2017). In the Algerian context, there is evidence of significant gender disparities, with men showing greater resilience than women. This is because patriarchal social structures and traditional gender norms limit women’s economic opportunities (Sanchez et al., 2021: 86; Raouf & Reda, 2022: 360). 

This paper examines how migration policies in Algeria differentially affect the economic resilience of migrant women and men, highlighting the gendered nature of policy outcomes and their implications for sustainable development. This research adopts an intersectional approach to analyzing migration policies, recognizing that gender interacts with other social categories to shape migrants’ experiences (Tullah, 2024: 427). The study employs a comprehensive review of secondary sources, including academic literature, policy documents, and statistical data from 2015 to 2023, to examine the gendered implications of Algeria’s migration policies.

Algeria’s Migration Policy Framework 

Algeria’s migration policy, regulated by Law 08–11, adopted in 2008, permits and remains the primary legislation governing migration. The law focuses on the entry, stay, and movement of foreign nationals but illegal migration is criminalized (Djamila, 2022: 967). This framework has evolved considerably since the early 2000s, shaped by regional dynamics and domestic priorities, such as security concerns, economic needs, and the management of irregular migration (Sanchez et al., 2021). While seemingly gender neutral, these policies have produced distinctly gendered outcomes. Feminist economics emphasizes migration’s links to gender, class, and other social factors, promoting policies that prioritize human security over national security. Such an approach highlights migrant women’s contributions to care work and informal economies, advocating inclusive, rights-based migration frameworks, enabling women to be integrated into other economic sectors (Rae, 2021). An intersectional approach calls for inclusive policies that take a diverse range of identities into account, collect sex-disaggregated data, and tackle inequalities, fostering dignity, security, and labor market inclusion for migrant women and LGBTQIA+ people (Rae, 2021). This promotes equity and counters exclusionary practices. 

While feminist economics highlights the need for inclusive and fair migration policies, Algeria’s framework illustrates how these principles can be explored through its approach to border control, social services, and integration initiatives, shedding light on the interplay between migration and policy in practice. Algeria’s migration framework encompasses several critical areas including; border control measures, work permit regulations, access to social services, integration programs, and regularization initiatives. These key policy elements provide insight into how Algeria’s migration framework addresses crucial areas impacting both foreign nationals and local communities, highlighting the policy’s broader social, economic, and security implications.

First, stemming from religious and conservative values, Algeria’s law requires women to be accompanied by a male guardian when they travel, and second, their legal, social, cultural, and political status does not predispose them to migrating freely across borders (Houa, 2023: 119). Female migrants in Algeria face increased vulnerability at border crossings due to strict policies under Law 08-11, compounded by cultural norms and stereotypes that link unaccompanied women to illicit activities along with societal expectations of male guardianship (Timtaoucine, 2022; Sanchez et al., 2021; Freedman, 2016).

Despite the legal protection that Algeria provides to women, which includes freedom from gender-based violence and the right to equality in education and work, discrimination in the form of cultural norms and restrictive policies, especially around travel and migration, limit their mobility (Sanchez et al., 2021). Indeed, the employment rate for women in 2019 was only 13.5 per cent, while for men it was 61.2 per cent (Khelifi, 2023). This gender disparity in employment is paralleled by even greater challenges faced by immigrant women in Algeria as a result of compounded barriers such as legal exclusion, lack of resources, and higher risks of exploitation. 

Similarly, the current work permit system, which is often male dominated in fields such as construction, energy, and heavy industry, also poses more problems for women. This is especially the case since women generally need sponsorship to migrate to Algeria, typically from an employer or family member, as the country’s migration policies require work permits or visas for non-tourist stays (Lassassi & Sami, 2023). In addition, women face specific administrative hurdles due to the requirement for a male guarantor in certain visa or migration procedures, such as applying for work permits or seeking permission to travel alone. This issue is particularly prevalent when it comes to documentation requirements for regularization processes, as women are less likely to have formal employment contracts or proof of residence in their names (Lassassi & Sami, 2023).

The implementation of Law 08–11 created a tiered system of social service access. Providing short- and long-term public health interventions to reduce mortality and morbidity among refugees and migrants and thus promoting continuity and quality of care (WHO, 2018: 4). While migrant women may face additional barriers in healthcare access, such as limited availability of services and language barriers, there is however limited data on tailored programs for migrant women’s healthcare, highlighting an ongoing need for systematic interventions that could better serve this vulnerable group.

Gendered Impacts on Economic Resilience

The gendered impact of these polices is evident in the systematic administrative and enforcement disparities, creating a compound effect on migrant women’s economic resilience. The economic resilience of migrants in Algeria demonstrates obvious gender-based disparities, particularly in key economic indicators and opportunities. Recent studies by the International Organization for Migration (IOM, 2024) confirm that these disparities are deeply structural and systemic, rooted in culture and religion. However, neoliberal economic policies and colonial legacies have structurally constrained Algerian women’s economic opportunities and social resilience beyond cultural or religious narratives (Safia, 2019).

For migrant women joining the informal workforce, the 13.5-per cent employment rate represents a significant vulnerability, with women working without social protection or benefits (Zouine, 2024). Migrant women in Algeria are predominantly employed in sectors such as domestic work, agricultural labor, informal service industries, and low-wage urban service jobs, with domestic work being particularly characterized by a lack of basic labor law coverage, including minimum wage requirements and working hour regulations. Influenced by regional migration dynamics, the percentage of migrant women constantly changes. A recent investigation by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Zouine, 2024) found that female domestic workers reported earning an insignificant amount, considerably below the national minimum wage. In contrast, male migrants benefit from more streamlined administrative processes and stronger professional networks; in different sectors that are more integrated into the economy (Khelifi, 2023). The vulnerabilities these women face are exacerbated by financial exclusion. With low earnings and limited access to formal systems, migrant women may rely on informal financial systems. Without formal banking access, women struggle to build credit histories or access legitimate lending services to start businesses (Cirolia et al., 2022).

In contrast, migrant men’s 61.2-per cent employment rate in Algeria provides this group with significantly better economic foundations. The construction and agriculture sectors, while physically demanding, offer more structured employment conditions and better wage protection (Lassassi & Sami, 2023), and sees men earn more than their female counterparts in informal sectors. This situation also highlights the increased capacity of male migrants to successfully establish small businesses, which can be attributed to their better access to professional networks and formal financial systems. 

These systemic policy barriers create a self-reinforcing cycle of economic disadvantage for women, with initial employment disparities leading to long-term vulnerability. Men’s better initial positioning, in contrast, enables continued advancement. This situation particularly impacts female migrants who are more likely to experience economic shocks due to limited access to formal employment benefits.

Conclusion

This research shows that Algeria’s migration policies, although supposedly gender neutral, yield clearly gendered results that influence economic resilience. Women encounter disproportionate obstacles to formal employment, financial resources, and social protection, while men face different challenges and opportunities within the same policy framework. Tackling these inequalities necessitates targeted policy actions that acknowledge and cater to gender-specific requirements and weaknesses.

These outcomes highlight the importance of including gender viewpoints in the creation and execution of migration policies. Further studies would be well placed to concentrate on acquiring a more detailed understanding of the intersectional elements affecting migrant economic resilience and assessing the efficacy of policies that are sensitive to gender issues in Algeria.

Policy Recommendations

To address these gendered disparities and their impact on migrants’ economic resilience, several policy interventions are recommended:

1. Gender-sensitive policy design

It is crucial to enforce mandatory gender impact evaluations for every new migration policy to ensure they tackle the specific difficulties encountered by women. Further, implementing a quota of at least 40 per cent for women’s participation in formal sector jobs in the next five years will foster equal opportunities. Moreover, the Algerian government should implement incentive programs providing tax advantages to companies that employ female migrants, as well as improved maternity protection and childcare assistance systems to promote women’s participation in the workforce.

1. Administrative reform

Simplifying administrative processes can drastically reduce documentation needs, while gainfully shortening processing times through easier verification methods will enhance service accessibility for both men and women. To enhance administrative responsiveness, periodic (e.g., quarterly) gender sensitivity training should be held for all staff. This should be combined with the establishment of dedicated help desks for female migrants at processing points to ensure that female migrants obtain proper and respectful assistance.

1. Economic inclusion initiatives 

To promote economic inclusion, Algeria could launch women-oriented microfinance programs with simplified collateral requirements, providing vital financial access for female migrants. Flexible skills training programs that include childcare support, along with mentorship networks pairing established businesswomen with migrant entrepreneurs would foster professional development and networking opportunities. Additionally, a startup grants program specifically for women-owned businesses, combined with financial literacy programs tailored to women’s work schedules, would empower migrant women to achieve economic independence.

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