2. Data on migration and integration: what do we need and why?
Rob Bijl
Netherlands Institute for Social Research / SCP
March 11, 2010 – Luxemburg, Eurostat, DSS workshop

3. Why measuring and monitoring migration and integration?
- to support / enable evidence based policy making
- better insight into integration processes: by migrant group, by generation, by social domain
- assessment of different effects of different migration and integration policies and programmes (cost-benefit)
- insight into what extent ‘non-specific-integration/ mainstream policies’ (e.g. educational policy, social welfare policy, tax policy) contribute to or harm integration and equal opportunities for migrants
- in European context: comparing with other member states: are we doing better/worse/different than our neighbours?

4. Policy context: national and EU
Common Agenda for Integration EC, sept Common basic principles.
Presidency (Sweden) conference conclusions on indicators and monitoring of the outcome of integration policies. (November 25, 2009).

5. EC Common Agenda
Integration is a dynamic, two-way process of mutual accommodation by all immigrants and residents of Member States
Integration implies respect for the basic values of the European Union
Employment is a key part of the integration process
Basic knowledge of the host society’s language, history, and institutions is indispensable to integration
Efforts in education are critical to preparing immigrants, and particularly their descendants, to be more successful and more active participants in society
Access for immigrants to institutions, as well as to public and private goods and services, on a basis equal to national citizens and in a non-discriminatory way
Other: Frequent interaction; intercultural dialogue; encourage civic, cultural and political participation; ………….

6. Theoretical foundation/basic assumptions
Integration…..
… is a long-term process; mainly at local level (cities, neighbourhoods)
… asks for efforts from all ‘sides’ (not exclusively from migrants)
… is not identical to assimilation
… is about migrants’ structural position on labour market, education, housing, etc., but also about subjective psychological well-being and belonging (social-cultural integration)
… has no golden standard. In many domains no targets for ‘successful’ integration
Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau

7. Definitions
What is a migrant? EU-proposal = Objective criterion based on
Country of birth of the immigrant or his parents
- Integration of third country nationals forms the legal basis of EU cooperation in the area.
- For the majority of MS foreign born more accurately describes the target group of integration policies.
- preferable definition in terms of stability, reliability and comparability of available statistics, as the population is not affected by the substantive legislative differences between countries and over time regarding the possibilities for foreigners to acquire citizenship.
International research within the field of immigrant integration also focuses on foreign born. 2/3 of member states confirm that they can present data on the distinction of foreign born.
- Sweden believes that the use of two parallel definitions will be necessary for at least a period of time.
Country of birth = Widely accepted, both by researchers and by policy makers.
But:
- Recognising differences of target groups of member states’ integration policies
- Integration of third country nationals forms the legal basis of EU cooperation in the area.
- However, for the majority of MS foreign born more accurately describes the target group of integration policies.
- It also is the preferable definition in terms of stability, reliability and comparability of available statistics, as the population is not affected by the substantive legislative differences between countries and over time regarding the possibilities for foreigners to acquire citizenship.
- The vast amount of international research within the field of immigrant integration also focuses on foreign born. 2/3 of member states confirm that they can present data on the distinction of foreign born.
- Sweden believes that the use of two parallel definitions will be necessary for at least a period of time.

8. In debate: measuring flows and stocks of migrants:
- Target groups cannot always be identified: non-registration political reasons. E.g. Eastern-European countries refuse to registrate minorities from neighbouring countries (Hungarians in Rumania, Russians in Estonia; Roma are not identified in some countries).
- Descendants of foreign born (2nd generation) should be presented where possible. By descendents are understood persons with one or two parents born abroad. Strictly spoken these are no migrants. For integration policies identification is crucial. Some people think this is stigmatizing. Will there be 3rd generation, 4th generation.…?

10. individual: makes choices and creates opportunities
society: offers opportunities, makes demands and imposes restrictions
acquisition of basic knowledge and skills
social relations between individuals from ethnic minorities
and the Dutch population
extent and speed of participation in social domains
General conceptual framework for processes of migration and integration.
Human capital and social capital .
There are different processes of migration and integration to be recognised for different target groups: labour migrants, marriage migrants, family reunification, students, refugees.
But also we need to have gender and age specific data. Processes of integration differ a great deal for men and women, ass well as for young and older people.

11. Priority domains
Employment is a vital part of the integration process, and efforts in education are critical to help immigrants to be successful and more active participants in society.
Not only access to the labour market is important but also the entry into society more generally, which makes social inclusion an important area.
The participation of immigrants in the democratic process as active citizens supports their integration and enhances their sense of belonging.
A limited number of policy areas of relevance for integration can be identified as priority areas at present, building on national experiences and key areas of the common basic EC principles.
These areas are thus the the main policy areas of relevance for monitoring the outcome of integration policies:

12. Criteria for selecting indicators within domains: be pragmatic!
1.core indicators on integration will primarily be based on currently available official statistics and on quantitative data as well as qualitative or subjective data, such as the results of surveys. 2. focus on indicators of outcome (what has been achieved, not on process (amount of resources put in) 3. comparability between countries  identical definitions, operationalisations Limited number of indicators!
Starting with this explicit theoretical and conceptual framework, indicators can be chosen.
Only statistics is not enough! Actually, only quantitative data is not enough!
Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau

13. 3. share of 30-34 year olds with tertiary educational attainment
Policy area
Indicators
Employment
1. employment rate
2. unemployment rate
Education
1. highest educational attainment (share of population with tertiary, secondary and primary or less than primary education)
2. share of low-achieving 15-years olds in reading, mathematics and science
3. share of year olds with tertiary educational attainment
4. share of early leavers from education and training
Social inclusion
1. median net income – the quota between immigrants and the total population
2. at risk of poverty rate: share of population with net income less than 60 percent of national median
3. health: life expectancy
4. housing: distribution of population by tenure status
Active citizenship
1. the share of immigrants that have acquired citizenship
2. the share of immigrants holding permanent or long term residence permit
3. the share of immigrants among elected representatives
Proposal of the EC. Zaragoza, meeting april 2010.
Future improvements needed: Indicators on Social Inclusion and on Active Citizenship are conceptually very weak.
Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau

14. Medium/long term indicators/ improvements
Areas and indicators important to monitor although comparable European data are at the moment lacking:
- the share of employees being over or under qualified for their jobs
- self employment
- language skills
- experiences of discrimination
- trust in public institutions
- voter turnout among the population entitled to vote
- sense of belonging
- crime rates (= negative integration)
accessibility of care
Participation as volunteers
>>Data sources (SURVEYS!) need to be developed in the various countries

15. Examples of existing data sources to be further explored and possibly used
Labour Force Survey (LFS),
Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA),
EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC),
European Social Survey (ESS),
European Value Survey (EVS),
Eurobarometer.
At present, the EU-SILC provides the largest spread of relevant questions and best samples. To use the EU-SILC as a basis for further development.