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What should Russia learn from EU Integration Policy:

case-studies of Sweden and Portugal

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Maria Borisova, PhD-student, MA in Social Science

(Université d'Avignon , France)

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Introduction (1)At the beginning of 1990s, after dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia was included in global migrant processes and came out on second place (after USA) by number of foreign migrants.

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Rank Country Foreign-born population,

Thousands (circa)1. United States 40 0002. Russia 11 200

3. Germany 10 600

4. France 7 300

5. UK 7 000

6. Canada 6 800

7. Spain 6 700

8. Australia 5 900

9. Italy 5 300

Stocks of foreign-born population in 10 EU countries, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,

Israel and RF, 2010 (OECD, 2013):

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Rank Country Foreign-born population,

Thousands (circa)10. Switzerland 2 00011. Netherlands 1 80012. Israel 1 80013. Belgium 1 60014. Austria 1 30015. Sweden 1 400 16. New Zealand 1 00017. Portugal 850

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Percentage of foreign-born population in 10 EU countries, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and RF, 2010 (OECD, 2013):

Rank Country % of total population

1. Switzerland 26,6

2. Australia 26,5

3. Israel 24,5

4. New Zealand 23

5. Canada 20

6. Austria 15,7

7. Belgium 15

8. Sweden 14,8

9. Spain 14,5

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Rank Country % of total population

10. Germany 13

11. USA 12,9

12. France 11,6

13. United Kingdom 11,5

14. Netherlands 11

15. Italy 9

16. Portugal 8

17. Russia 7,9

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Introduction (2)

Until recently immigration in Russia was considered exceptionally from the point of view of economic efficiency. However nowadays most experts agree that migrant integration became a strategic issue not only for economic but also for demographic development of Russia due to ageing of population and depopulation.

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Introduction (3)

• Understanding of this issue by Russian government found its reflection in “The Concept of the State Migration Policy of the Russian Federation for the period until 2025” which was approved by the President of RF in June 2012. One of its purposes is “to contribute to migrant adaptation and integration, to shape affirmative interaction between migrants and receiving society”.

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Introduction (4)

• Two months later, in August 2012, Concept realization Plan was adopted. However it sets apart migrant integration aiming mostly improvement of migration legislation.

• Rich experience of European Union countries, which have more long history of dealing with its diversity issued from international migration, could be taken into account by Russian legislators for development of migrant integration policy in Russia.

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EU INTEGRATION POLICIES

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Integration (1)

According to European Commission definition, integration should be understood as:• “a two-way process based on mutual rights

and corresponding obligations of legally resident third country nationals and the host society which provides for full participation of the immigrants”.

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Integration (2)EC definition

“This implies on the one hand that it is the responsibility of the host society to ensure that the formal rights of immigrants are in place [to allow] individual participating in economic, social, cultural and civic life and on the other, that immigrants respect the fundamental norms and values of the host society and participate actively in the integration process, without having to relinquish their own identity”.

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Host society:

1) Ensure that formalrights avoid migrants

participating in: - economic

- social- cultural- civic life

Migrants(Legally resident third countries

nationals):

1) Respect norms and values

2) Participate in integration process

without having relinquish their own identity

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Migrant integration policies evaluation

• Since the beginning of 2000s The British Council, Foreign Policy Centre and Migration Policy Group in cooperation with other research organizations have been working on migrant integration policies evaluation.

• As a result in 2005 European Civic Citizenship and Inclusion Index which “has been conceived to fill a knowledge gap on civic citizenship policies and inclusion at a European level” was published. In that report 15 EU countries was presented.

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MIPEX Index

• Today the efficiency of migrant integration policy is calculated through this Index for 31 states (European Union countries, Norway, Switzerland, the USA and Canada) (2011).

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European Civic Citizenship and Inclusion Index

2005 pilot edition (15 EU countries)

Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX)2007 II edition (28 countries: European

countries and Canada) 2011 III edition (31 countries: European

countries, the USA and Canada)

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MIPEX methodologywithin MIPEX index the efficiency of Migrant integration policy is assessed by 7 indicators:

1. Labor market mobility2. Family reunion for third-country nationals3. Education4. Political participation5. Long term residence6. Access to nationality7. Anti-discrimination

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Rank Country Score (max 100 )

1. Sweden 83

2. Portugal 79

3. Canada 72

4. Finland 69

5. Netherlands 68

6. Belgium 67

7. Norway 66

8. Spain 63

9. USA 62

10. Italy 60

11. Luxembourg 59

12. Germany 57

UK 57

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Rank Country Score (max 100 )

14. Denmark 53

EU Average 52

15. France 51

16. Greece 49

Ireland 49

18. Slovenia 48

19. Czech Rep. 46

Estonia 46

21. Hungary 45

Romania 45

23. Switzerland 43

24. Austria 42

Poland 42

Rank Country Score (max 100 )

26. Bulgaria 41

27. Lithuania 40

28. Malta 37

29. Slovakia 36

30. Cyprus 35

31. Latvia 31

MIPEX 2011

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Sweden and Portugal

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Swedish Context• Since the Second World War a relatively high number of foreign-born persons

have settled in Sweden. There are 1 million 5 thousand foreign born immigrants in Sweden, 15 % of the total population (2011). Iraq, Serbia, Montenegro and Turkey are largest third countries of immigrant origins in Sweden (2008).

It’s possible to define three flows in immigration in Sweden:

1. since the 1950s people from Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia and Turkey have moved to Sweden as labour force;

2. since the 1970s more people from Asia, Africa, Latin America and European non-EU countries have migrated to Sweden as refugees or due to family reunification;

3. since the 1990s people from Middle East countries have joined the ranks of refugees in Sweden.

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Portuguese Context • As for Portugal, immigration in this country is of a lesser scale compared to its

European neighbours: foreigners constitute 8% of the population (2011). Brazil, Cape Verde and Ukraine are largest third countries of immigrant origins in Portugal (2008) .

We can define three streams in immigration to Portugal:1. Since mid-1970s (following the end of the military dictatorship in 1974 and

the subsequent decolonization process) most of the immigrants came from the Portugal’s former colonies (notably, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tomé and Principe);

2. Since mid-1980s (following the accession to the European Community in 1986 and Portugal’s growing demand for labour) low skilled Africans, highly skilled migrants from Western industrial states, and most highly skilled professionals from Brazil moved to Portugal;

3. Since the end of the 1990s, large groups of immigrants, mostly undocumented, were smuggled into the country by trafficking networks. They mainly originated from Eastern Europe, from countries like Ukraine, Russia, Moldova and Romania.28.11.13

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Swedish Integration principles

• Since 1970s, the Swedish government sees integration as an issue that needs to be mainstreamed. General policy should be based on society’s ethnic and cultural diversity.

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Portuguese integration principles• Initially, the issue of integration was not of much political concern.

First measures were undertaken in 1991 with the creation under the Ministry of Education of the “Intercultural Secretariat” with the purpose of pedagogically responding to the new challenges by growing ethnic and cultural diversity at schools.

• In 2007, the Council of Ministers passed a resolution with aims and measures for the multi-purpose integration of migrants.

• According to MIPEX 2011 “immigrants in Portugal are seen as equal victims of the recession, not the scapegoats for it, unlike in several European countries. Austere economic and political choices have not reduced national consensus and support for integration”.

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Swedish and Portugal integration policies

• Sweden recognized the equal rights principles and started migrant integration in 1970s.

• Portugal began its multifaceted migrant integration policy in 2007.

• Regardless 30-years gap between migrant integration kick-off in these two countries, the efficiency of migrant integration policies of both of them are highly evaluated by MIPEX 2011.

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Sweden’s Integration measures (National level)

• The Migration Board is Sweden’s central government authority for alien’s affairs. The Migration Board is responsible for permits for people visiting and settling in Sweden, the asylum process (from application to a residence permit or to a voluntary return home), citizenship affairs, helping out with voluntary return migration.

• The overall aim of the national integration policy is to offer the newly arrived refugees and other immigrants the opportunity to support themselves financially and to actively participate in Sweden’s society.

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Sweden’s Integration measures (Local Level)

• Most of the actual integration work and planning of the measures is being done on the local level.

• The municipalities draft a municipal orientation program based on the national goals and local circumstances. The municipality plans and carries out an individualized orientation program together with the individual and other relevant parties, based on a municipal orientation program. The municipality is responsible for the individual receiving the support needed in order to make the orientation program successful.

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Portugal’s Integration measures (National Level)

• The Presidency of the Council of Ministers is responsible for policies dealing with the inclusion of immigrants in Portuguese society. The High Commissariat for Immigration and Ethnic Minorities (ACIME), was created for this purpose and is under the supervision of the Prime Minister. ACIME was renamed in 2007 into High Commissariat for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue (ACIDI).

• The Presidency and ACIDI itself are in charge of integration projects and they also try to coordinate the actions implemented by other government branches and NGOs. National Support Centres were implemented in Lisbon and Porto in 2004, resulting from a partnership between ACIDI, various Public Administration institutions and Immigrant Associations.

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Portugal’s Integration measures (Local Level)

• As in Sweden, local authorities, especially municipalities, have a central role in integration issues.

• There are about 70 local immigrant integration support centers in Portugal, distributed among Portugal’s different regions. Their aim is to provide support to migrants on legal and social issues.

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Labor market mobility(Sweden)

• All workers are treated equally and use targeted support to address their individual needs.

• Newcomers are informed of their rights under labour law through introduction programs, unions, NGO partnerships and several multilingual websites.

• Sweden is open to immigrants’ economic potential. The 2009 Labour Market Introduction Act aims to make it quicker for newcomers to learn Swedish, find or create a job matching their skills and, ultimately, support themselves in a more inclusive society.

• The Swedish Public Employment Service is now responsible for assessing newcomers’ skills. During the introduction interview, it also informs them of available general and targeted support.

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Labor market mobility(Portugal)

• As in Sweden, in Portugal workers and families, whatever their nationality, have equal legal opportunities to change jobs and careers, serve the public, or start a business.

• Immigrants can learn how to use their rights in cases of exploitation through the National Immigrant Support Centre’s Legal Aid for Immigrants Office.

• 2007 laws guarantee all Portuguese and non-Portuguese residents easier and equal opportunities to get their foreign qualifications recognized.

• According to 2007–2009 National Plan for Immigrant Integration, immigrants and nationals should face the same opportunities accessing work, free of discrimination and administrative malpractice.

• Despite the crisis the budget of High Commissioner for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue (ACIDI) has grown from 6.8 to 12.27 million euros between 2008 and 2010.

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Education(Sweden)

• Sweden encourage most students to do their best in a diverse school and society. Each pupil in the system is legally entitled to general and targeted support that addresses their individual needs and new opportunities: from interpreters welcoming newcomer families, to “equal respect and tolerance” curricula, and the right to high standard Swedish-as-a-second-language and mother tongue tuition.

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Education(Portugal)

• Any foreigner (also if an illegal migrant) has access to education under the same conditions as Portuguese nationals. This includes attending the 9 years of mandatory schooling by enrolling in public or private schools or attending educational institutes in the private sector that run specific courses during the day and night.

• Pedagogical support that concentrates mainly on Portuguese language is offered to immigrants integrated into the national educational system.

• Portuguese language training for immigrants is mainly offered by NGOs and immigrant associations – at state level by the “Portugal Host” (“Portugal Acolhe”) - the first integration initiative launched by the government as concerns language training. It started in 2001 and was managed by the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP). Its focus was language tuition. It also provided a “Welcome Guide” in six languages, and a training module on “Citizenship practices”.

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Anti-discrimination(Sweden)

• Swedish residents may know better about discrimination and how to fight it, since equality legislation, bodies and duties become easier to use.

• Sweden continues to improve implementation. Its 2009 Anti-Discrimination Act replaces 7 laws with one and 4 equality bodies with one Equality Ombudsman (as in the 5 leading countries). This single approach aims to work more effectively and comprehensively on all grounds in even more areas of society.

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Anti-discrimination(Portugal)

• The Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination is an independent body created in 1999, which started functioning under ACIDI’s structure and coordination in 2002. Government and National Assembly’s representatives, immigrant associations, anti-racist organizations, trades unions, employers’ associations and organizations acting for the protection of human rights can be listed as some of the Commission’s members.

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What did we learn from Sweden and Portuguese Experience:

1. Providing of legal immigrants (third-country nationals) with rights in receiving society begins from political will on national level.

2. The migrant integration policies are implemented through network of NGOs and governmental institutions on local level. In “Concept of migrant policy in Russian Federation until 2025” Russia has declared its understanding of migrant integration issue but hasn’t created any structure for its implementation.

3. It’s highly beneficial both for migrant integration and economic development of hosting country to take into account immigrants educational level and professionals skills – the point which have been neglected in Russia.

4. Information as “Welcome guides” in immigrant mother tongue and knowledge of receiving state language can help newcomers to be more self confident in host society legal environment.

5. Moreover, knowledge of state language is highly important for immigrants which plan to work and, especially to settle in the country.

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PerspectivesWithin the topic frame of this presentation the perspectives could be:

1. To define different groups of migrant and their integration needs (70-80 % without aim to settle in Russia).

2. To analyze Russian policies related to migrant integration and to trace its further development.

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