wp 18 neujobs: labor immigration policy and socio-economic integration of immigrants in europe

WP 18 NEUJOBS: Labor Immigration Policy and Socio-Economic

Integration of Immigrants in Europe

2nd NEUJOBS Validation Event 9-11 April 2014, IZA Bonn

Katharina Eisele (CEPS)

04/24/23 1Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) • Place du Congrès 1, 1000 Brussels, Belgium www.ceps.eu

Structure• Presentation on WP18 NEUJOBS (CEPS and NIDI)– Objectives and outline – State of play on deliverables and milestones:

papers and seminars

• Presentation of two WP18 papers on the “attractiveness” of labour migration policies:– EU Blue Card Directive– US labour immigration policy

•04/24/23 •2Thinking ahead for Europe • Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) • www.ceps.eu

WP 18: Labor Immigration Policy and Socio-Economic Integration of Immigrants in

EuropeObjectives:

Examination of the impact and potentials of international migration towards an increased competitiveness and economic vitality of the European labour market and the importance of socio-economic inclusion of third country nationals (i.e. non-EU nationals)


WP 18: Labor Immigration Policy and Socio-Economic Integration of Immigrants in Europe

Three thematic streams1.) an assessment of the ways in which different categories of third country nationals workers are included into the EU’s labour markets 2.) a study of how the EU is developing an appropriate policy and legal scheme for attracting labour immigration 3.) the employability of second generation


WP 18: Progress towards objectivesList of Deliverables

– D18.1: State-of-the-Art Report on “Trends and Gaps in the Academic Literature on EU Labour Migration Policies” by M. de Somer

– D18.2: Working Paper on “Why come here if I can go there? Assessing the ‘Attractiveness’ of the EU’s Blue Card Directive for ‘Highly Qualified’ Immigrants” by K. Eisele


WP 18: Progress towards objectives (2)List of Deliverables

– D18.3: Working Paper on "The US Labour Immigration Scheme – All about Being Attractive? EU Perceptions and Stakeholders’ Perspectives Reviewed" by K. Eisele (subject to peer-review)

– D18.4: Working Paper on “The Employment of Turkish Second Generation Women in Europe in Comparative Perspective” by J. Holland and H. De Valk

– D18.5 and D18.6: Two Policy Briefs prepared by NIDI and CEPS


WP 18: Progress towards objectives (3)

Schedule of Milestones1.) Seminar (D18.2) on “Labour Migration and Mobility in the EU– Assessing Attractiveness and Labour Market Needs” has been organised on 7 May 2013 at the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels

Speakers and participants included: academics and policy makers, including Commission officials and parliamentarians, and other civil society actors (120 people)



2.) Policy conference (D.18.3) in form of a closed-door expert Seminar with the European Commission on “Re-Thinking Attractiveness of Labour Migration Policies – Comparative Perspectives on the EU, the US and Canada and Beyond” on 14 February 2014 at CEPS

Speakers and participants included: academics and Commission officials with DG HOME, DJ JUST, DG ECFIN, DG EMPL, DG EAC, DG Research (40 people)



Use and dissemination- wide dissemination of publications: NEUJOBS website - CEPS paper series “Liberty and Security in Europe” on the

CEPS’ website announced in the CEPS’ newsletter (JHA Section)

- NEUJOBS’ seminar and policy conference were used to critically discuss research findings, generate new knowledge and provide policy input and ensure policy impact

- Research results have been presented in other settings, including lectures and seminars


D18.2: Working Paper on “Why come here if I can go there? Assessing the

‘Attractiveness’ of the EU’s Blue Card Directive for ‘Highly Qualified’ Immigrants”

- Objective to create European scheme for labour migration- EU’s Blue Card Directive to attract highly-qualified immigrants

from outside of the EU in a fast-track manner- 2007 Commission Proposal/ Adoption of the Directive in 2009- UK, Denmark and Ireland do not participate


EU Blue Card Directive for ‘Highly Qualified’ Immigrants (2)

How was the EU’s Blue Card Directive shaped in the legislative process, and how did the understanding of ‘attractiveness’ change over time?

- Review of the Council negotiations on the Directive; interviews with EU and national policy makers and literature review



Key Findings The ‘attractiveness’ of the Blue Card Directive has been

compromised by the interests of the different institutional actors involved in the EU decision-making process and inter-institutional struggles:

- the definition of a ‘highly qualified’ worker (next to higher education qualification or professional experience a bulk of admission criteria, including varying salary requirements)



Key Findings

- Coherence is jeopardised: sectoral approach in EU labour migration policy/ transitional restrictions for EU citizens from Central and Eastern Europe

- The Blue Card Directive did not create one European highly skilled admission scheme but a complex multi-layer system (Member States may maintain their national highly skilled schemes)



Key Findings

- Member States may stipulate quotas – Article 79(5) TFEU- Blue Card holder enjoy preferential treatment: how is this

compatible with the principle of non-discrimination? - Facilitated intra-EU mobility for Blue Card holders?

Implementation of the Blue Card Directive in different Member States



Policy Recommendations

- A Blue Card Directive that factors in business needs and is formulated in conformity with a rights-based approach considering the interests of those individuals to whom the measure applies

- the creation of one European admission scheme that allows indeed for flexible and fast-track admission


D18.3: Working Paper on "The US Labour Immigration Scheme – All about Being

Attractive? EU Perceptions and Stakeholders’ Perspectives Reviewed"

- In Europe, the US is often portrayed as highly attractive destination country for labour migrants

- Commission: “the EU is the main destination for unskilled to medium-skilled workers from the Maghreb (87% of such immigrants), while 54% of the highly qualified immigrants from these same countries reside in the USA and Canada.”


The US Labour Immigration Scheme – All about Being Attractive? (2)

- Current US immigration system designed to attract migrant workers from abroad: employers play an important role

- proposed Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act 2013

- Attractive for whom? - Policy options for the EU?


wp 18 neujobs: labor immigration policy and socio-economic integration of immigrants in europe

Documents

european policy studies

policy makers

appropriate policy

policy briefs

labor immigration policy

european labour market

europe centre

wp18 neujobs ceps