John Salt The Internationalisation of Migration Statistics

1. John SaltThe Internationalisation of Migration Statistics Migration Research Unit, Department of Geography, University College London, UK. Migration Statistics Users Conference September 18, 2012

2. Key challenges for international migration statistics Source: OECD

3. Problems with migration statistics • Lack of: • Consensus on definitions • Availability of disaggregated data • Good quality immigration/emigration • Data on international migration are generally considered scarce and inadequate for measurement purposes (IUSSP, 1987). • An urgent need for international migration statistics coincides with an unsatisfactory degree of availability, reliability and comparability of data on international migration flows (Poulain et al, 2005)

4. Where there are both origin and destination country for the same flow, differences abound: A difference between immigration and emigration figures of less than 25 per cent might be considered an acceptable level of reliability. Only 37 cells [out of 230 non-zero] are in this favourable situation. This represents only 16 per cent of all the pairs of migration figures compared and a little more than 5 per cent of all intra-EU migration flows. (THESIM, p218)

5. Eurostat Regulations • Reg 311/76 – labour data (replaced 2007) • Reg 862/2007 – harmonised definitions • Reg 216/2010 – categories of residence permit • Reg 351/2010 – groups of citizenship and countries Source: Eurostat

6. Eurostat currently collects data covering 4 main areas related to migration: - Migration flows, acquisition of citizenship and foreign population stocks - Asylum (including statistics on the operation of the Dublin system) - Border and immigration control measures (refusals of entry, persons found illegally present, removals) • Residence permits (and comparable permissions) granted to third country nationals. Data are all collected annually with the exception of some asylum-related data that are collected on a monthly and quarterly basis. Source: Eurostat

7. Total number of new residence permits issued by reason, 2009 Source: Eurostat, 2011

8. The Sopemi Network • What it is • An experts group which provides data and information on national movements and policies and where these are exchanged among countries • A forum where migration issues are discussed in a neutral, dispassionate manner • What it is not • A platform for political statements on migration movements and policy or for prepared declarations of official government policy • Emphasis on statistical evidence and on empirical results « Without statistics, you are just someone else with an opinion.” Source: OECD

9. Objectives of SOPEMI data collection • Establish, over time, consistent series on the flows of migrants and on the migrant labour force • Build up a picture of the nature of migration movements, by country of origin/destination • For correspondents, support overview presented in the annual SOPEMI publication • Support analyses presented in the annual summary report of immigration/emigration in the OECD • Disseminate immigration/emigration statistics to broader community Source: OECD

10. General features / guidelines • Emphasis on data-driven analysis • Mobilising whatever data are available, especially data on residence permits, both permanent and temporary • Building up a coherent picture over time • A focus on what is new, while ensuring basic coverage of mainstream subjects (scale of flows, size of immigrant population, basic labour force outcomes) • Draw on special studies, as appropriate Source: OECD

11. OECD standardised statistics on migration flows • The history (pre-2005) • Little progress internationally • No proper comparisons between countries • No possibility of aggregation across countries • The requirement • Statistics on migration by category • A complete accounting of flows (but not tourism, etc.) • Statistics on the basis of a common definition • A long-term vs short-term distinction • The « solution » • Permit-based statistics by category • A « permanent » vs « temporary » distinction • Compared to one-year stay criterion  different objectives • Free-circulation dealt with separately Source: OECD

12. Standardised international migration flows • Permanent- vs temporary- based migration • Ignored UN statistical recommendations • Focused on regulated flows (+ free movement) • Use residence permits and visas by category of entry instead of registers • Disentangle permanent from temporary permits, based on what receiving countries consider are for the long term • Disaggregate data by category (work, family, humanitarian + free movements) Source: OECD

13. Standardised international migration flows National vs OECD “standardised statistics” (2006) Source: OECD

14. Selected examples from OECD • Standardised international migration statistics 2. Databases on Immigrants in OECD Countries (DIOC) Source: OECD

15. Permanent inflows into selected OECD and non-OECD countries Source: OECD

16. Databases on Immigrants in OECD Countries (DIOC) Total emigration rate and emigration rate of highly educated by country of birth, population aged 15 and over, circa 2000 Source: OECD

17. Some enduring problems • Variations : types of national sources national priorities definitions and concepts IGO priorities timetables • “Request fatigue” for NSOs and admin sources • Widening matrix of countries • Education of public and media • Living with difference and inadequacy