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

1. Migration and the European Labour Market: The Stockholm Programme and Beyond Anne Hartung Assistant Professor, free Research Assistant, Aigul Alieva PhD in Social Sciences, CEPS/INSTEAD

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. PART II Lessons drawing: Sweden vs. Luxembourg Conclusions

7. Lesson drawing: Sweden vs. Luxembourg Source: http://www.integrationindex.eu/

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Policy input: labour market access in Luxembourg and Sweden

12. 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

13. Conclusions: EU – Stockholm and beyond • 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