Housing and Homelessness among Undocumented Migrants in Europe
Housing and Homelessness among Undocumented Migrants in Europe
Access to safe, stable, and adequate housing is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of human dignity. Yet, for undocumented migrants across Europe, this right remains systematically denied. Undocumented migrants, including children, families and youth are excluded from key legal protections and social systems, and exposed to discrimination, precarious living conditions, and a heightened risk of homelessness.
Restrictive housing and migration policies, combined with structural exclusion from public services and the private rental market, result in widespread experiences of overcrowding, unsafe accommodation, and prolonged housing insecurity. Against the backdrop of rising homelessness across Europe, including among families with children, research indicates that migrants, particularly those from non-EU countries, are increasingly overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness. However, the true scale of homelessness among undocumented migrants remains largely obscured due to gaps in data collection and exclusion from official statistics. In response to this evidence gap, PICUM and FEANTSA conducted a collaborative, mixed-methods study in 2024 to examine housing access for undocumented migrants across Europe, with a specific focus on children, families, and young people.
The report Housing and homelessness of undocumented migrants across Europe: patterns, barriers, and ways forward analyses legal and policy frameworks, identifies key barriers to accessing public, private, and emergency housing, explores the intersection of migration status and homelessness, and proposes concrete recommendations to uphold the right to housing regardless of residence status.
The webinar aims to foster critical dialogue among policymakers, practitioners, and advocates on the precarious housing situations faced by undocumented migrants, as well as the structural drivers of housing exclusion and homelessness. Discussions and presentations will be framed within relevant EU policy developments, including the European Pillar of Social Rights and the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. The webinar will also examine how recent proposed migration control measures, such as the Return Regulation and the Facilitation Directive, directly affect undocumented migrants’ access to housing.
By creating space for exchange and reflection, the webinar seeks to strengthen advocacy efforts and discuss actionable pathways for policy reform and practice. Our final goal is to contribute to the development of inclusive housing and homelessness policies that respect human rights and leave no one behind, irrespective of migration status.