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Valuing diversity: guidance for labour market integration of migrants

to newly arrived immigrants. Given cooperation with immigrant communities, it
further boasts the possibility of creating immediate and preventive response to
clients’ needs as well as immersing individuals in relevant social and professional
networks. The articulation between different public services is enabling for
individuals and aids planning of their future steps in job-search, training and
recognition of qualifications.

4.2.2. Selection and the rise of point-based systems
Despite a positive outlook in EU policy on migration from third countries, and a
liberalising/facilitating tendency in some countries during the past decade
(Denmark’s rules on family reunification and Germany on naturalisation, political
rights and immigrant participation in local policy), States have more recently
restricted their migration policies. There has been growth in public concern
across Europe over the level of employment of natives in the present crisis and
potential competition with immigrants for job opportunities.
The rise in unemployment has been coupled with an enlargement of the
Schengen area, notably in the 2007 agreement, to include the Czech Republic,
Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia. This increased
pressure on labour markets in traditional destination countries, with consequent
hardening of entry conditions for third-country citizens.
22
According to the migrant integration policy index (MIPEX) ( ) methodology,
which relies on 148 indicators monitored by an international network of
organisations in several sectors, situations vary across Europe concerning levels
of immigrant integration. Graph 4 offers a snapshot.

22
( ) http://www.mipex.eu/ [accessed 18.3.2014].

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