Migration and the European Labour Market: The Stockholm Programme and Beyond

Anne HartungAssistant Professor, free Research Assistant,

Aigul AlievaPhD in Social Sciences,

CEPS/INSTEAD

Outline

PART I

Introduction: Migration and integration policies at the EU level

The Stockholm programme (2010-2015)

PART II

Lessons drawing: Sweden vs. Luxembourg

Conclusions

Introduction: EU migration and integration policies

• Tampere programme (1999-2004) groundwork for common immigration and asylum policies

• The Hague programme (2004-2009) focus on economic migration and exchange of information on integration policies; Global Approach to Migration – cooperation with third countries

• Stockholm programme (2010-2015) An open and secure Europe serving and protecting the citizens

The Stockholm programme (2010-2015)

• Security, border control• Asylum • Migration and development• Labour migration• Rights of third-country nationals• Integration• Illegal migration

Split among two commissioners: Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship & Home Affairs

The Stockholm programme (2010-2015)

• Less emphasis on harmonisation of policies across Member States – oriented towards “practical solutions” and soft law

• More emphasis on flexible policies and individual approaches

• Less ambitious goals compared to previous programmes

• More emphasis on importance of cooperation with sending countries

• Commitment to grant third-country nationals “rights and obligations comparable to those of EU citizens” by 2014

• No clear plan for development of a common labour migration strategy

PART II

Lessons drawing: Sweden vs. Luxembourg

Conclusions

Lesson drawing: Sweden vs. Luxembourg

Domain Sweden’s MIPEX ranking and score

Luxembourg’s MIPEX ranking and score

Labour market access 1 (100) 20 (45)

Family reunion 1 (92) 18 (50)

Long-term residence 1 (76) 24 (48)

Political participation 1 (93) 3 (84)

Access to nationality 1 (71) 10 (45)

Anti-discrimination 1 (94) 15 (56)

Overall ranking 1 11 (=EU-28; below EU-15)

Source: http://www.integrationindex.eu/

Labour market related policy context: Sweden

• 2008 regulations for labour migration – flexible conditions for migrants of various skills level

• Labour market shortages and welfare sustainability

• New system is demand-driven – not the Swedish Public Employment agency is a recruiter, but companies which hire both in- and outside-EU

• No quotas; work permit for almost all sectors and own business

• (Almost) equal rights with Swedish citizens: social rights, childcare

• Residence and work permit for 2 years, after 4 years permanent RP

• Opportunity to bring family from the beginning and the spouses are granted open access to the labour market

• State helps unemployed with language and vocational training

• Losing job does not mean expulsion

Labour market related policy context: Luxembourg • Easier entry to Luxembourg through certain channels: Sports

(wo)men, students, research and highly-qualified workers have• Residence and work permit for 1 year, after 2+2, after 5 years one

can apply for permanent residence permit• Change of law in August 2008 - work permit and residence are

replaced by “residency permit for the purposes of employed activities”

• Migrant workers not eligible for equal access to employment as EU nationals – restrictions on jobs and sectors. Only after 3rd renewal individual can change both job and sector.

• Equal access to vocational training and study grants, but limited recognition of skills and qualifications of the third-countries

Labour market related policy context: Luxembourg (II)

• Labour market policies are protectionist (despite systematic labour shortage in e.g. health and social services, administration, technical & engineering support; science & research, construction)

• No systematic measures to improve employment rates or teach languages for a better employability

• Once employed, migrant workers are partially secure under the law: migrants can renew most work permits, but loss of WP if contract is terminated, no matter how long they have worked in Luxembourg

• If migrant workers lose the job but are entitled to unemployment benefits, they can stay in Luxembourg until the end of the benefits period

• Little focus on labour force demand: priority is given to job seekers registered at the employment office ADEM, which requires legal residence in Luxembourg

Policy input: labour market access in Luxembourg and Sweden

Luxembourg: related issues

• In order to accurately analyse the current situation with in Luxembourg:

– Coordination between Ministries for merging data on labour market needs by employers, entry and the profile of immigrants, work permits by duration, economic field, applicants profile – skills, citizenship, temporary/long-term migrants, circular migration

– More data should become (publicly) available for policy evaluation

• Migration management is clearly one of the priorities in EU

• Shifting focus from rigid to flexible system based on actual needs and emphasis of provision of social rights to the immigrants

• The programme acknowledges the complexity and diversity of current migration policies within the EU and does not plead for a uniform response, but encourages cooperation between countries for exchange of best practices

• Swedish case is one possible scenario of combining both and seems to be able to adapt for newer forms of migration

• Need for a thorough analysis of Luxembourg’s particular situation in order to develop substantial policy recommendations

Conclusions: EU – Stockholm and beyond