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Policy challenges for emigration countries

Policy challenges for emigration countries. Dr. Werner Haug (Director, Population Studies and Surveys, Swiss Federal Statistical Office). Topics. Migration trends and policy views on emigration Negative and positive impacts of emigration Policy challenges and options Protection of emigrants

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Policy challenges for emigration countries

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  1. Policy challenges for emigration countries Dr. Werner Haug (Director, Population Studies and Surveys, Swiss Federal Statistical Office) UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  2. Topics • Migration trends and policy views on emigration • Negative and positive impacts of emigration • Policy challenges and options • Protection of emigrants • Reduction/increase of out-migration • Integration through citizenship • Return of nationals • Relationship with diaspora • Remittances • Migration and development partnerships • Data and information on volumes, types and motives of outmigration, circular migration and return migration UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  3. Migration and policy views on emigration, Central Europe and the Baltics (UN Population Division/World Population Policies, 2003) UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  4. Migration and policy views on emigration, Eastern Europe and Central Asia(UN Population Division/World Population Policies, 2003) UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  5. Migration and policy views on emigration, Western Balkans(UN Population Division/World Population Policies, 2003) UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  6. Migration and policy views on emigration: overview UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  7. Flows and stocks of migrants • A large majority of countries are net-emigration countries in the 1990’s and today. • Those that are not, observe important return flows mostly of nationals and/or members of the dominant ethnic group as well as labour migration. • Important stocks of migrants are residing in many countries, particularly in regions of the former USSR. Some of them became foreigners after the split up of the federal states, some have double citizenship and some are still stateless or in an undecided situation. UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  8. Policy view: emigration is too high and should be lowered • A majority of governments are of the opinion that emigration is too high and that it should be lowered. • Most governments favour the return of nationals. UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  9. Policy view: emigration is satisfactory or should be maintained, no intervention Some other views: • Estonia: maintain out-migration for political and ethnic reasons because it affects mostly non-nationals and non-Estonians • Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan: closed economies, out-migration only of specific ethnic or political groups • Albania: traditional labour migration argument: out-migration has also positive economic effects (reduction of unemployment, remittances, diaspora) • EU/Accession states: no intervention on the way to liberal economic policies and economic development (free movement of labour, capital and goods) UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  10. General population growth and emigration • The attitude of countries towards emigration is also influenced by population growth in general. Countries with a loss of population have a more negative view on emigration than countries with a population gain. They are generally neutral about emigration. UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  11. Population growth and components, 2003/04 (EUROSTAT; UN) UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  12. The position of countries can rapidly change • Under the influence of economic and demographic trends: the position of countries can change rapidly. All countries are at the same time emigration and immigration countries. • Example of Russian Federation and Slovakia: in the 1990’s, Slovakia was a net emigration country, the R.F. a net immigration country. • Slovakia became a net immigration country for foreign nationals in 2003, the Russian Federation might become a net emigration country for foreign nationals in the future. UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  13. Net migration in Russia and Slovakia, 1995-2002 UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  14. Possible negative impacts of emigration • Ageing (outmigration of the young and economically active) • Brain drain, outmigration of the elite and loss of human capital • Depopulation with impacts on employment opportunities, public infrastructure, taxes, etc. • Dependent development (remittances, transfers etc.) • Imbalanced regional development (rapid urbanization, depopulation in rural areas etc.) • Decrease in cultural and linguistic diversity UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  15. Impact of emigration on the age structureAlbania 2000: extremely low proportions of children in the emigration regions of the South UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  16. Impact of emigration on the age structureAlbania 2000: extremely high proportions of elderly persons in the emigration regions of the South UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  17. Impact of emigration on the age structureAlbania 2000: extremely high elderly dependency ratios in the emigration regions of the South UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  18. Imbalanced regional development through migration Albania: Negative population growth in the country, huge gains in the capital area UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  19. Imbalanced regional development through migration Kyrgyzstan: migration from high altitude, peripheral areas to the capital UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  20. Capital areas as transit and emigration zones for international migrationKyrgyzstan: more external loss than internal gain in the capital area UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  21. Changing ethnic structures through migration Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyz internal migrants replace Russian emigrants in the capital area UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  22. Brain drain through migration: examples of Kyrgyzstan and Albania • Outmigration has a generally a U shaped form according to qualification and human capital. Members of the elite emigrate much more frequently as well as persons with a low level of qualification. • Kyrgyzstan: 300’000 Russians (1/3 of the Russian population of 1989) left the country between 1989 and 1999, many of the economcially active had tertiary and secondary education and leading positions in industry, education and research and the public sector. • Albania: 40% of the staff of research centres and cultural institutions left between 1991 and 98 and 60% of all teachers. The male population with higher secondary education decreased by 21% between 1989 and 2001 and the male population with tertiary education by 13%. UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  23. Possible positive impacts of emigration • Reduction of the number of unemployed and of pressure on public services and infrastructure • Increase of household income and quality of life of out-migrants and (through remittances) of non-migrant household members • Increase of consumption, investment, inflow of foreign currency and improvement of balance of payments through remittances • Increase of trade and transnational relations through networks of the diaspora • Brain gain through trained and innovative return migrants • Decrease of ethnic and linguistic tensions and conflicts UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  24. Some general policy principles for emigration countries • Regular outmigration is in the common interest of emigration and immigration countries, irregular outmigration creates problems for both • Return migration of nationals is the other side of the medal, it is a fundamental human right and can contribute to development • Emigration countries have responsibilities towards their nationals abroad • Temporary and circular migration can reduce the pressure for permanent emigration • Citizenship and integration policies can prevent emigration of foreign migrants and minorities • Diasporas and transnational networks are important for training, trade and investment UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  25. Policy field: Protection of emigrants • Information and training of outmigrants • Consular assistance abroad • Diplomatic support for emigrants and diasporas • Multilateral agreements for the protection of human rights and against exploitation and discrimination of migrants • Bilateral agreements for the protection and the rights of nationals UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  26. Policy field: Legal ways of emigration and return of nationals • Access to and support with passports and documents • Liberal visa regimes, based on reciprocity • Safe, affordable and transparent channels of emigration • Fight against criminal organizations for smuggling and trafficking • Bilateral and multilateral agreements for entry, stay and return of nationals UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  27. Policy field: Prevention of outmigration of foreigners and minorities • Access to citizenship for long term residents • Admit double citizenship • National legislation and policies for equal treatment and to fight discrimination • Policies favouring cultural, linguistic and religious diversity UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  28. Policy field: Supporting the return of nationals • Access to citizenship for former nationals • Financial, economic and family incentives for return • Schemes for the re-integration of emigrants (support, training, equal treatment) • Schemes for temporary out-migration UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  29. Policy field: Development through migration • Create conditions for safe, rapid and affordable financial transactions and communications. • Develop credit and investment programmes for migrant families and return migrants • Build bilateral migration-development partnerships (migration for training and education, migration for trade, migration for cultural exchange, voluntary or mandatory return and reinstallation) • Develop policies for regional development and devolution UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  30. Favour data collection and analysis on emigration and its impact • Collect data on outmigration and return migration according to age, sex, level of education and professional qualification • Collect data on the stock of nationals abroad, motives and conditions for return • Collect data on discrimination and exclusion of foreigners and minorities • Evaluate the impact of emigration on demography, economics and society • Collect data on financial flows (remittances) and evaluate their impact on development UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  31. Some problems and contradictions • Conflicting interests between emigration and immigration countries (e.g. international treaties) • Conflicting interests between emigrating individuals and the state (e.g. irregular migration) • Conflicting interest between nationbuilding, and cultural diversity • Weak states have only limited ressources to implement policies and schemes • Strong effects of economic cycles, macroeconomic and political shocks on migration policies UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

  32. References • Eurostat, News Release, 1/5, 2004 • Instat, Migration in Albania, Results of the 2001 Population and Housing Census, Tirana, 2004 • Instat, Albanian Population Census Atlas, Tirana, 2004 • National Statistical Committe, Mountain Atlas of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, 2004 • IOM/Berne Initative, International Agenda for Migration Management, Berne, December 2004 • Salt John, Trends in International Migration, Council of Europe, 2003 • United Nations, World Population Policies 2003 UNFPA/UNECE/NIDI: Training on international migration, Jan. 27, 2005

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