Seminar Title
Bridging Borders: Understanding Chinese Migration Pathways Through Visa Agencies
Speaker Bio
Dr Meishan Zhang is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Sociology, Maynooth University. Her project, "Interpreting Justice: An Exploration of Chinese Immigrants' Experiences in the Immigration System in Ireland," is funded under the Research Ireland's Enterprise Partnership Scheme and partnered with Crosscare Migrant Project. Dr Meishan Zhang is co-supervised by Dr Rebecca King-O'Riain from Maynooth University and Mr Richard King from Crosscare Migrant Project.
Abstract
Between October 24 and December 5, 2024, Meishan conducted a research trip to key emigration hubs in China to investigate how prospective migrants gather information about Ireland’s immigration policies from immigration agencies and Irish visa centres prior to departure. The findings highlighted the role of misinformation and information gaps in shaping both regular and irregular migration, identified opportunities for early intervention, and underscored the diverse backgrounds, motivations, and challenges of Chinese migrants. By integrating fieldwork insights with survey data, this research contributes to policy recommendations aimed at enhancing transparency, fostering safer migration pathways, and promoting inclusive global mobility.