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Valuing diversity: guidance for labour market integration of migrants

This indicates that there is not only a need for labour, but also specifically for
highly skilled labour. The forecasts suggest that immigrant integration should
privilege an up-skilling career development logic, aiding recognition of foreign
qualifications and the rapid development of key skills for easy integration (such
as language and knowledge of local systems) in work and learning. It follows that
the strategy adopted by European states must address labour market mismatch
and youth disengagement from education. It must adopt an inclusive approach
that considers the needs of groups and of subgroups at greater risk, particularly
women children and the unemployed.
The strategy adopted by national states for the resident immigrant
population should combat labour market mismatch, youth disengagement from
education and training, and adopt an inclusive strategy that considers the needs
of groups and of subgroups at greater risk, particularly women children, the
unemployed and those with low qualifications. A publication from the European
Commission (2013) highlights that the education and labour market outcomes for
nationals and immigrants are still substantially different. Generally, immigrants
have lower employment levels, suffer from greater youth disengagement from
education (especially among the children of the less qualified) and are at greater
risk of poverty and social exclusion.
The same study suggests that if the current gap between the national and
immigrant population is closed, substantial progress will be made towards the EU
2020 targets. In countries with large shares of immigrants, such as Belgium
Germany, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands, the contribution of the immigrant
share can reach 50% on employment, early leaving and poverty risk targets (see
Table 1).

Table 1 Contribution towards EU 2020 targets – ‘closing the gap’ scenario

Target Share of immigrant Countries in which
contribution (EU) contribution is 50%

Employment 10.7% SE, DE, NL

Early leaving 30% BE, DK, DE, EL, IT

Poverty risk 16.2% AT, BE, EL, NL
Source: European Commission, 2013.

The inflow of non-EU nationals (third-country migrants) is, together with the
inflow from candidate countries to the Schengen area, the most important supply
of labour force counteracting the effects of the relative ageing of the European
population. Third-country migrants can pose complex challenges to European

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