Well-managed immigration flows offer benefits both for host countries and for migrants and their families. But the effective integration of immigrants into the societies of the countries where they settle is crucial, and this requires commitment and action at national and local level.
These are the conclusions of a new report from the OECD, From Immigration to Integration: Local Solutions to a Global Challenge, which analyses case studies in five countries: Canada, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Examples discussed in the report include initiatives like the Toronto Region Immigration Employment Council in Canada, set up in 2003 to link potential employers with skilled immigrants seeking employment. They also include programmes such as one launched by a farmers' association in Catalonia, Spain, which forges links with emigration countries to ensure a sustainable supply of migrant workers under acceptable employment, accommodation and training conditions.
Migration is a major area of focus for the OECD's work, reflecting the urgency for developed countries of the issues raised by immigration. Almost three million long-term migrants enter OECD countries legally every year in search of employment and greater economic security. Their skills and energy bring benefits to their host countries, but difficulties over integration also give rise to tensions. Numbers of immigrants are likely to go on rising as OECD countries grapple with falling birth rates and ageing populations.
See full Press Release.
Posts
