“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Ministero del Lavoro, della Salute e delle Politiche Sociali Integrated service provision to migrants: examples of One-Stop Shops in Italy Athens 6 June 2008

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” My presentation today has to be considered as a general overview, yet to be completed, on the Italian current attempts for implementing integrated solution to the problems faced by immigrant citizens FRAMEWORK OF EXISTING RESPONSIBILITIES In Italy – as in other European countries – there is not a single public authority that deals with immigration and integration. At the institutional level the main active subjects of migratory policies are: The Ministry of the Interior This Ministry deals with migration issues both to ensure order and public security by combating illegal immigration as well to ease the reception and integration of regular immigrants, thus guaranteeing social cohesion. Therefore, with regards to migratory policies and asylum, it controls entry, sojourn and legalisation of migrants in Italy. Integrated service provision to immigrants: examples of One-Stop Shops in Italy

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs This Ministry deals exclusively with development policies, humanitarian aid and issues related to visas request The Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Policies The Directorate General for Immigration of this Minister deals with a twofold task: First, in collaboration with the other Italian Administrations involved, the Ministry participates in the annual planning procedure of flows and, through an IT system, provides for the distribution at a local level and for the monitoring of quotas. Second this Ministry is responsible for the social integration of migrants in Italy, through programs aiming at facilitating the inclusion of Third country workers in the Italian society (cultural mediation, promotion of language, cultural and Italian civil education courses, etc.) and through the participation to international boards. Integrated service provision to immigrants - Framework of existing responsibility

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Department for Equal Opportunities - UNAR (National office against racial discrimination) The Office works for the promotion of equal treatment and against discrimination based on race or ethnic origin. The Office is intended to be a reference point for people who claim to be victims of racial and ethnic discrimination, as well as an institutional body to monitor the effectiveness of instruments for the protection of equal treatment. The UNAR works in co-operation with trade unions and business associations to promote positive action through training courses, information campaigns and the promotion of codes of conduct in the workplace. Integrated service provision to immigrants - Framework of existing responsibility

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” The assignment of responsibility is far more complicated within the welfare system. -Health care and part of housing polities are the responsibility of the Regions; -Employment services are the responsibility of the Province; - Administrative procedures regarding the granting of residence and some social benefits are the responsibility of the city council; -Insurance and pensions are the responsibility of Para-state agencies dedicated to carrying out these activities. Regions can approve regional laws on immigration and implement social benefits and other integration measures in accordance with the existing national legal framework. The fragmentation of responsibility within public administration at national and local level makes it difficult to combine the different sectors to bring about the implementation of a comprehensive office like the One Stop Shop to address all of the procedures related to immigrants. Integrated service provision to migrants - Framework of existing responsibility

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Even if Italy does not have an example of a One-Stop-Shop as in the Portuguese model, over the past years some attempts has been done to bring together officials from different administrations and to increase the effort to use technology to support integration services THE SINGLE DESK FOR IMMIGRATION (SPORTELLO UNICO PER L’IMMIGRAZIONE) The single desk for immigration is the closest thing to the One-Stop-Shop Model Established by law 189/2002 and implemented in 2005 at the provincial level (Prefecture), it was an attempt by the legislator to bring together officials from all the administrations involved in the procedures regarding legal entry from abroad. According the original plan, officials from different public bodies (Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Interior, Tax Agency, and so on) were supposed to work together at the single desk in order to handle procedures regarding the arrival of foreign workers from abroad, family reunification and changes in the reason for a permit of stay in Italy. Integrated service provision to migrants: The Single Desk for Immigration

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Actually, as it is now, the Immigration Office cannot be described as an “Integration Desk” for two main reasons: Firstly there have been relevant problems in terms of effectiveness and “performances” of this administrative body due to the difficulty and concern of the different offices to give away part of their responsibilities. front office” As the result, at the present, the Immigration Office operates only as a “front office” (where to send the application forms for an entry clearance – nulla osta – for work and family reunification or for changes in the reason of the residence permits or where to go to sign the first contract to stay). “back office” The “back office” activities are carried out separately from the different offices (Prefettura, Job Centre, police headquarter, provincial labour office, etc.) that operate at the local level but are not concentrated in the same place Furthermore, the immigration office basically deals with migrants only as a worker or as a relative of a worker. Amongst other functions, it is not supposed to give information about health, school, social benefits or to give information and advice to undocumented migrants. Integrated service provision to migrants: The Single Desk for Immigration

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Integrated service provision to migrants: The Single Desk for Immigration first step Nevertheless the idea to bring together under the same roof officials from different administrations failed and there are still important margins for improvement, the Single Desk experience represent a first step towards a stronger connection and cooperation between different offices involved in the administrative procedures. The single desk has the responsability for the entire procedure of hiring foreign workers from abroad as well as for family reunion Procedure to hire foreigners living outside: The single desk for immigration coordinates the following checks:  Regularity and completeness of all necessary documents;  Criminal record of the worker or the employer (through the Police Headquarters);  Observance of the national work contract and economic solidity of the company (through Provincial Labour Office);  Availability of Italian or EU workers for the job (through the Employment Office);  Availability of quotas (through Provincial Labour Office).

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Integrated service provision to migrants: The Single Desk for Immigration - Procedure to hire foreigners living outside If all the above conditions are met:  the Single desk for immigration issues the nulla osta  The employer sends the Nulla osta to the worker  On the basis of the nulla Osta the Consulate issues an entry visa to the foreigner  The foreign worker enters Italy, signs, at the single desk for immigration, the contract of residence for work and requests the residence permit  The foreign worker can start working and will obtain the residence permit for work Technological improvements to support the single desk competences The most recent effort to use technology to support the procedure to hire foreign workers from abroad dates back to December 2007, when the Government issued the annual flow decree. The new procedure allowed the submission of applications only via data transmission, directly from the personal computer of the would-be employer or from the computer of an authorized organization.

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Integrated service provision to migrants: Central Service of the Protection System for asylum seekers and refugees. Apart from the limits of this first attempt, users have given a generally positive response. The procedure has been recently extended to family reunification and high skilled applications and in the future will be used for the renewal of residence permits. CENTRAL SERVICE OF THE PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES (S.P.R.A.R.) An other interesting attempt to set up a partnership between different public sectors is represented by the Central Service of the Protection System for asylum seekers and refugees. Established in 2002 (by law n. 189/2002), it has an integrated approach for giving information, promotion, advice, monitoring, and technical support to local authorities offering reception for asylum seekers, refugees and persons under humanitarian protection, in order to simplify central coordination of local reception services.

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Integrated service provision to migrants: Central Service of the Protection System for asylum seekers and refugees. The Central Service, established by the Ministry of the Interior, has been assigned to ANCI (National Association of Italian Municipalities). The Central Service works with local authorities and does not have direct contact or provide services to migrants, but it is supposed to give support to the municipalities in order to bring together all integration measures (e.g., language classes, legal advice, support in finding a job). The Central Service coordinates the entire national System by improving networking and by organising training and refresher courses for project staff through cooperation with national and international bodies operating in the asylum sector. In the spirit of close collaboration between the central and local dimensions, the Central Service works to promote local best practices and spread them more widely as well as to assure quality standards of services.

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Integrated service provision to migrants: Central Service of the Protection System for asylum seekers and refugees. To sum up briefly, under the law, the Central Service is in charge of:  Monitoring the presence of asylum seekers, refugees and foreigners under humanitarian protection;  Establishing and updating a database on local interventions for asylum seekers and refugees;  Facilitating the dissemination of information on the activities;  Providing local Authorities with technical assistance, also with regards to the implementation of reception measures;  Promoting and performing, in accordance with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, repatriation programs through the International Organization for Migration or other national or international humanitarian institutions.

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” EMILIA ROMAGNA REGIONAL CENTRE ON DISCRIMINATION In conclusion it interesting to highlight the recent project that Region Emilia Romagna is implementing in order to create a Regional Centre on Discrimination. This new centre is supposed to empower and coordinate a network of existing offices (either public or third sector) not in order to create new structures, but to improve services that are widespread within the regional territory and close to the potential beneficiary of the intervention. The regional centre will concern itself with discrimination with the following remit:  Keeping a watch for any discriminating phenomenon or behaviour  Providing legal assistance and guidance to foreign citizens who are victims of direct or indirect discrimination, whether it is for racial, ethnic or religious reasons Integrated service provision to migrants: Emilia Romagna Regional Centre on Discrimination

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Integrated service provision to migrants: Emilia Romagna Regional Centre on Discrimination The Regional Centre of discrimination is supposed to become a territorial network with the aim to identify for each social area at least one point of connection (“nodo di raccordo”) and several “antenna points” on the discrimination issues.

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” Integrated service provision to migrants: Emilia Romagna Regional Centre on Discrimination The model of the Regional Centre on Discrimination could be the proper answer in terms of providing immigrants with easy access. Instead of a physical concentration in the same place, the new Centre aims at the use of technology to improve strong “virtual” connection and cooperation between different offices existing in the regional territory and already reference points for migrants. Thanks to the introduction of a common IT platform, the Centre should be able to coordinate all the various local activities and implement a better communication and exchange of good ideas and solutions. The added value of this project lies in the attempts to improve, support and better connect already existing and widespread local services (either public or third sector)

“One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrants integration” THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΊΕΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΠΡΟΣΟΧΉ