European Experts on European Experience of Integrating Migrants

On September 21–22, 2017, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), held the III International Conference “Managing Migrant Integration: The European and Russian Contexts.” RIAC Website Team discussed practices of integrating migrants with European experts Hans Dietrich Von Loeffelholz, Teresa Albano, Patrick Simon, and Tiina Salmio.

Hans Dietrich Von Loeffelholz

On September 21–22, 2017, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), held the III International Conference “Managing Migrant Integration: The European and Russian Contexts.” RIAC Website Team discussed practices of integrating migrants with European experts Hans Dietrich Von Loeffelholz, Teresa Albano, Patrick Simon, and Tiina Salmio.

In your opinion, what are the most efficient practices of integrating migrants into community?

Hans Dietrich Von Loeffelholz, Chief economist, Head of Economic Migration and Integration Research, Federal Bureau for Migration and Refugees (Germany): As I am German, I would like to draw from Germany’s successful example of integration as far as labor markets and educational system are concerned. There are certain successes but there are certain failures. We have had a paradigm change 10 years ago from a very restrictive approach to more proactive integration policy. Simultaneously we have been introducing a fundamental reform of the labor market. These two things come together: the proactive integration policy on the one side and active labor market policy that has opened the market for the immigrants, not only for indigenous people. There has been a reform of the language courses for the immigrants on the one side and integration policy on the other side.

Teresa Albano

Teresa Albano, Economic Affairs Officer, Office of the Coordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities: As I represent the OSCE, 57 participating States stretching from Vladivostok to Vancouver, I prefer to speak about the principles that make practices successful. One of the most important principles is to avoid social dumping, which can be defined as the unfair competition deriving from the use of a “sub-class” of workers who enjoy less favourable working conditions. Migrant workers are at higher risk of fostering, unwittingly, social dumping practices, mainly for two reasons. The first is linked to the personal situation of migrant workers, while the second is related to the workplace. Migrant workers are more prone to accept lower wages and fewer safeguards in order to keep their right to reside in the destination country, which is strictly linked to their employment. The loss of the employment means, for a migrant worker, the loss of the right to reside in the destination country. Therefore a migrant worker must work at all costs. The second reason is linked to the market segment in which migrant workers are employed the most. Migrant workers find jobs more easily in those sectors that are not fully covered by labour legislation such as agriculture, construction, domestic work. The combination of these factors makes them more vulnerable to sub-employment, up to exploitation and abuse. Such social dumping practices soon produce detrimental effects on the working conditions of all workers. Yet, in the popular perception, migrants tend to be considered as responsible for the erosion of labour rights and the deterioration of working conditions of national workers. This situation can foster turf battles among social groups. The end result is that migrants will be increasingly perceived as individuals of class B, and their exploitation considered even as deserved. These trends represent a threat to social cohesion and economic stability. Protecting migrant workers is a measure of good economic governance, stemming from the interest to preserve transparency of labour markets and a healthy economy.

Patrick Simon

Patrick Simon, Director of Research, National Institute of Demographic Studies (France): That is a very complicated question. Most of the good practices come from municipalities. They can create some common sense of belonging to foster cooperation between migrants and country’s citizens. It is easier to establish a sense of belonging to a city rather than to a whole country. This idea involves practices that are based on creating events or working in schools. The best practices are the ones that are aimed at decreasing the obstacles that migrants find on their way also involve good housing, support when looking for it and even providing social housing. Migrants also face the issue of a large difference in the level of their education and their occupation. They need to match their diploma and expertise with that of the country they live in. Very often people do have skills that are unnoticeable in their diploma. There are a lot of cases of people with a good medical diploma working as cab drivers as they find it impossible to find a job in a hospital.

Tiina Salmio

Tiina Salmio, Planning Officer, Family Reunification and Resettlement Department, Finnish Red Cross: In Finnish Red Cross we run reception centers. We think that it is very important to have early integration methods. People have to have meaningful activities whatever it is: learning the language or getting to know the local community. It will help them to adapt and makes them feel better about themselves. Red Cross has a lot of volunteers that help asylum seekers – in 2015, for instance, we have 8,500 of them supporting the refugees. Volunteers are a link between the migrants and refugees and the state. They provide the human approach that is very much needed.

What could Russia learn from the European experience of integrating migrants?

Hans Dietrich Von Loeffelholz, Chief economist, Head of Economic Migration and Integration Research, Federal Bureau for Migration and Refugees (Germany): With respect to German example, it is the consistency of different policies. Immigrats’ integration policy needs to work together with labor markets policy and education policy. The policy of integration will not be successful if you shut the labor market to national workers and do not let in the new participants.

Teresa Albano, Economic Affairs Officer, Office of the Coordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities: Opportunities like the one offered by RIAC and RANEPA at today’s conference represent a very good opportunity for mutual policy learning: positive lessons and negative lessons are shared and considered in order to identify suitable responses. In this regard, I wish to underline particularly one issue that emerged from today’s discussion: the need for a multi-stakeholder approach, for the involvement of different players at different levels of governance. Workers’ and employers’ association, state authorities and civil society, but most of all, local authorities are to be included in the development and implementation of migrants’ integration policies and practices. As a platform for dialogue, the OSCE has been a key player for policy learning in the last 40 years, bridging the views and experiences of 57 participating States. The Organization is keen to renew its engagement in the field of migration governance, which is a key factor for economic development and stability.

Patrick Simon, Director of Research, National Institute of Demographic Studies (France): Russia has a lot of similarities with Europe but also some very stark differences, especially in the fact that it is so diverse itself. Russia has to be prepared for the idea that it needs to incorporate its central values and culture and the fact that it will move very fast with newcomers. Russia will also face the dilemma of difference in religious values. Here comes the European example: the more invested you are in promoting your values and identity, the less space you leave for diversity to spread.

Interviewed by Maria Smekalova, RIAC Website editor