Integration policies in times of economic crises: New challenges for intercultural societies? The crisis impact in the integration process of immigrants in Portugal Paulo Mendes: AIPA - Immigrant Association in the Azores aipa-azores.com

Goals The crisis impact in the immigrant population based on three dimensions: ▫Migration flows; ▫labor market ▫ social impacts of the crisis; Threats and opportunities that are arising in the implementation of integration policies

Impacts on migratory flows The impact of the crisis among immigrants in Portugal has to be framed in a broader context; Portugal is a consolidated space of welcoming immigrants, the foreign population represents more than 8.6% of its population; The evolution of migration flows to Portugal has always been linked with the levels of economic growth and the ability to generate jobs; The question to be discussed is whether the economic crisis, which began to gain a greater expression from 2008, was reflected in migration flows to Portugal? ▫In a statistical perspective, this is a residual impact centered in the slowdown of arrivals and residual values of return.

Foreign population in Portugal with regular status – 1990 a 2010 The peak of immigration was in 2001, the year that residence permits allowed the regularization of tens of thousands of newly arrived immigrants; The evolution of the foreigners in Portugal was always positive Source: SEF

Remittances of immigrants a 2010 Source: Bank of Portugal From 2000 we witnessed a strong growth, reaching its peak in 2006, totaling a value of almost six hundred and ten million; Direct result of the decrease of migration flows that occurred in recent years and the consequent decrease of the immigrants arrivals in the labor market; the impact of the crisis on disposable income among immigrants that determines the values sent to the countries of origin.

Refused entry in Portugal– Source: SEF The number of refusals of entry of foreigners in Portugal we understand that the entry pressure decreased considerably after 2007.

??????????? Given the serious crisis that Portugal is going through why doesn’t the stock of foreigners have an even steeper decline?

With the entry into force of Law Nº 23/2007, we record an adjustment of many irregular immigrants thus reducing the arrivals and even the impact of Portuguese nationality attributions; Another factor that tends to compensate the reduction of foreigners in Portugal has to do with family reunification; ▫Of the residence permits issued in 2010,23% were under family reunification;

Request and boarding of the project Voluntary Return – IOM – It seems, however, that there is no massive return of immigrants, although there are more evident returns of immigrant communities (compared with previous years) especially among those whose home countries offer more attractive conditions; But let me make it clear that facing the transversality of this crisis, our experience tells us that there are many immigrants who stay in Portugal, because many countries of origin are still far from reaching levels of development and welfare that may enhance a mass return of their fellow citizen; At the end of the first half of this year the International Organization for Migration has received 1521 requests for voluntary return and in 2010 received Source: OIM

JOB MARKETS - Unemployment rates by nationality Source: INE On the labor market the most visible crisis impact has to do with the immigrant unemployment, according to the latest figures about 18.8% is immigrant unemployment, while for the local population is 10.4%; Immigrants application in the Job Centers are always partial, since there are many immigrants who are not registered and therefore do not enter in the official statistics; The integration of many immigrants in the construction sector (which was one of the most affected by the current crisis), low educational levels, the decreased destination hypothesis for re(migration), explain this strong increase in the number of unemployment among the immigrant population; Increasement of informality and precarious work; greater pressure for employability of migrant women, since the crisis has affected business sectors that integrated male migrant workers.

Social Impact of the Crisis Many immigrants who are pushed into an irregular stay, along with a weakened economic and financial condition; Taking into account that in recent years many immigrants gained access to Portuguese nationality, there is a clear capacity / mobility enhancement particularly within the European Union; Despite the heterogeneity of pathways and living conditions, immigrants in Portugal are, in general, the risk group in terms of poverty and social exclusion and are expected, maintaining the current economic framework, to have their situation worsened.

Threats / Opportunities The existence of an allied right coalition in Government (whose views on immigration policy is based on a strongly repressive perspective) makes me afraid that we are maybe faced with an disinvestment regarding integration policies and putting in harm the positive path that Portugal has achieved in relevant places at European and International levels such as the 2 nd place in MIPEX; Loss of attractiveness of Portugal as a space for the reception of immigrants; That family reunification can continue to be the main thrust of migration flows to Portugal; It is likely that we may see a temporary increase of immigrants returns to their countries of origin but this phenomenon will not have a massive dimension; The issue of immigration in Portugal is not (at least compared with other European countries) an upsetting political debate. ▫there are few cultural contrasts between immigrants and the Portuguese society defines a peaceful relation between the policies and immigration theme; ▫I believe that even in a crisis that originates a legitimate concern about the future, Portugal will know to honor its path as country of emigration and will to continue to be a reference at European levels in matters of integration policies.

Thank you for your attention

Numbers of Attends in CNAI Numbers of attends – Center for Support of Local Integration of Immigrants–