Exploring the trajectories of highly skilled migration law and policy in Japan and the UK

Abstract Japan and the UK appear to have few commonalities in terms of their history approach migration law policy. However, strong similarities contemporary approaches can be detected. Migration sits at very top national political agendas both undertaken successive, major policy reforms over past decade. Both governments publicly committed policies attract ‘highly skilled’ migrants, with a restrictive towards ‘unskilled’ migrants. This article draws out differences via respective legislative structures trajectories on highly skilled migration. The argues that promote market-driven model which enables ‘sold’ publics believed hostile increased Yet, rapid changes revising applicable rules often prevents successful recruitment migrants countries.