Strengthening EU competitiveness – potential of migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein, German Employers‘ Confederation (BDA)

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 2 Major aspects of labour migration With regard to labour migration from third countries there are three major aspects which are interconnected: - Development - Remittances - Skills

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 3 Development Dimension Migration can serve as engine of growth: In receiving countries: -juvenated workforces, promotion of entrepreneurship, support of pension systems, meeting demands for skills In sending countries: -positive remittance flows, transfer of investments, skills upgrading through return migration

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 4 Development Dimension Success factors: -Different pattern of migration today promotes new management models (temporary/circular migration) -Dense networks of interactions between sending and receiving countries facilitates balance of interests -Well managed return migration

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 5 Remittances have effects

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 6 Remittances have effects Remittances -meanwhile exceed official development assistance, foreign direct investment and private debt flows (300 billion US $ in 2007) -important social safety net for poor families, possibly reducing migration -BUT remittances are private monies that should not be expected to fund public projects

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 7 Skills dimension -Skills shortages in many European countries -Brain drain, brain waste and brain gain a complex package -Affects different countries in different ways -Health sector particularly affected -Need for developing schemes that balance needs of sending and receiving countries

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 8 Health Professionals on the move

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 9 Low skilled labour migration -Many sectors (agriculture, construction, household services) depend on foreign labour supply -This migrant group has limited access to regular migration routes -Need of a policy that is oriented on labour market needs

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 10 Examples for schemes (according to resp. national situations) -Circular migration schemes -Ouotas and ceilings -Points systems (Blue Card) -Seasonal workers

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 11 Seasonal workers in Germany

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 12 What role for employers‘ organisations? -Partners for governments in shaping migration policy -Social dialogue as instrument for developing integration/re-integration programmes on national level -Developing instruments for forecasting labour needs and skills shortages

Migrants on the labour market 26 February 2009 Antje Gerstein 13 Conclusions - Migration as such is nothing bad - Highly political issue, national competency! - There is no one size fits all! - More international approaches, - Employers should engage in successful integration schemes - Diversity is a growing trend in companies – promote exchange of good practice