Differences in Immigration Policy Priorities Between Central and Eastern European States: The Role of Country-Specific Context.

This paper examines the factors shaping immigration policies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), focusing on the long-term integration policies. While existing theories emphasize institutional legacies, welfare regimes, labour market conditions, and convergence pressures, recent developments suggest growing salience of securitization. Using a comparative analysis of national migration strategies from Poland, Estonia, Romania, and Czechia (2020-2024), supported by MIPEX data and Eurostat indicators, the study identifies three explanatory perspectives: institutionalism, convergence, and securitization. Findings indicate that welfare spending, labour market structure and economic prosperity alone do not predict integration orientation. Instead, national identity narratives and security framings strongly coincide with restrictive outcomes. Poland and Romania emphasize border security, limiting integration, while Estonia and Czechia pursue more technocratic or selective approaches towards security. The study highlights the central role of securitization in CEE immigration policies and outlines avenues for further research.