Article published on SLO pages

Article published on SLO pages

The COVID-19 pandemic and the government measures to curb it in the past two years have had a significant impact on the mobility of workers within the EU. In this article, we analyze the measures adopted by the Slovenian government and the governments of some neighboring countries in the first half of 2020 and examine how these have affected international mobile workers. We identified the economic and social risks to which workers have been exposed following their return to Slovenia or while working in neighboring countries. Such risks were largely due to inconsistently adopted measures on an international level and the adoption of measures at short notice.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, labor mobility, international mobile workers, cross-border workers, Slovenia

The COVID-19 pandemic and the government measures to curb it in the past two years have had a significant impact on the mobility of workers within the EU. In this article, we analyze the measures adopted by the Slovenian government and the governments of some neighboring countries in the first half of 2020 and examine how these have affected international mobile workers. We identified the economic and social risks to which workers have been exposed following their return to Slovenia or while working in neighboring countries. Such risks were largely due to inconsistently adopted measures on an international level and the adoption of measures at short notice.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, labor mobility, international mobile workers, cross-border workers, Slovenia

Repatriation due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was the most extensive assisted return in Slovenia’s history. The article explores governmental responsiveness to the struggles and social risks experienced by Slovenian nationals stranded abroad during the global outbreak of COVID-19 from February to April 2020. It builds on a review of EU and national-level reports, a qualitative analysis of media sources, and expert interviews. The article highlights the lack of detailed systemic guidelines on transnational social protection in crisis situations and argues that the success in the repatriation of Slovenian nationals can be primarily attributed to the ad hoc measures set in place by highly motivated and inventive consular staff.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, mobility lockdown, repatriation, consular service, Slovenia

Repatriation due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was the most extensive assisted return in Slovenia’s history. The article explores governmental responsiveness to the struggles and social risks experienced by Slovenian nationals stranded abroad during the global outbreak of COVID-19 from February to April 2020. It builds on a review of EU and national-level reports, a qualitative analysis of media sources, and expert interviews. The article highlights the lack of detailed systemic guidelines on transnational social protection in crisis situations and argues that the success in the repatriation of Slovenian nationals can be primarily attributed to the ad hoc measures set in place by highly motivated and inventive consular staff.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, mobility lockdown, repatriation, consular service, Slovenia

This contribution results from research conducted during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how the restrictions imposed for safety reasons impacted the everyday routines of a group of asylum seekers and beneficiaries of protection hosted in the asylum reception system in the city of Trento, Italy. Drawing on the interviews, the authors enlighten how the “health of the facility” sometimes came at the expense of the health of the individual, reducing their sociability outside the reception facilities and, therefore, their opportunities to develop their paths toward independence.
Keywords: asylum seekers and beneficiaries of protection, COVID-19 pandemic, reception system, independence, “health of the facility”

This contribution results from research conducted during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how the restrictions imposed for safety reasons impacted the everyday routines of a group of asylum seekers and beneficiaries of protection hosted in the asylum reception system in the city of Trento, Italy. Drawing on the interviews, the authors enlighten how the “health of the facility” sometimes came at the expense of the health of the individual, reducing their sociability outside the reception facilities and, therefore, their opportunities to develop their paths toward independence.
Keywords: asylum seekers and beneficiaries of protection, COVID-19 pandemic, reception system, independence, “health of the facility”

This paper examines the impact of the pandemic on immigrants in one of the most economically developed areas in Northern Italy. Using a qualitative approach, the author highlights the effects on the traditional dimensions of inclusion (work and housing) and the perspectives of the younger generations (education and transition to adulthood). The results indicate how the weak social positioning of immigrants strongly and selectively conditioned their response to the pandemic. The study also revealed the intense erosion of immigrants’ social capital and the need for strategies to strengthen it.
Keywords: pandemic, Italy, immigrants, social capital, inequalities

This paper examines the impact of the pandemic on immigrants in one of the most economically developed areas in Northern Italy. Using a qualitative approach, the author highlights the effects on the traditional dimensions of inclusion (work and housing) and the perspectives of the younger generations (education and transition to adulthood). The results indicate how the weak social positioning of immigrants strongly and selectively conditioned their response to the pandemic. The study also revealed the intense erosion of immigrants’ social capital and the need for strategies to strengthen it.
Keywords: pandemic, Italy, immigrants, social capital, inequalities