Economic Migration – European Practices
Very often when migration is mentioned the attitude is negative. In the countries that people leave the talk is of “melting of the nation” and “brain drain”. In the countries where people migrate, allegations emerge that immigrants increase levels of criminality, etc. In most cases, these allegations are groundless and cover internal problems of the respective country. It is always easier to accuse those who leave or those who arrive in the country for some problem than to make efforts to cope with its causes.
However, migration is rather a natural phenomenon than problem or unusual event. People have always migrated – from rural toward industrial regions, from villages to cities, from high unemployment to low unemployment places. When this migration is international there are more barriers for passing – in some countries there exist barriers for leaving the country, in most countries the barriers are against foreigners that settle down in the country.
Exit barriers are a trademark of unfree countries and they are perceived as inconsistent with the principles of the liberal democracies-this question is settled. Entry barriers are perceived as needed. However, what must be the type and design of these barriers is a highly debatable question, which is resolved in different ways and with different success in the individual countries.
The differences in migration policies between the individual countries in the EU and the candidate countries are the reason for the European Commission to organize discussion and exchange of experience on the issue. In this discussion the main role was given to the experience of Ireland, because in the recent years its market-oriented migration policy established as one of the leading practices in Europe.
What is the Irish migration policy?
The Irish policy on economic migration is based on the economic needs of the country, addressing deficits of labour resources and skills. The main characteristic of the policy is that it is based on the market signals and it doesn't depend on the evaluation and discretion of the administration. This makes the system extremely flexible and effective.
In respect to the EU member states Ireland does not apply any restrictions, i.e. every citizen of the 25 EU countries plus the countries from the European Economic Area can settle in Ireland and work there. The main tool of the Irish migration policy in respect to the countries outside the European Economic Area is the system of work permits.
The work permits system is based on the existence of job vacancies that cannot be filled from the European Economic Area. In order to prove the need for hiring a foreigner, the employers must advertise the vacancy with the National Employment and Training Agency and after one month passes without finding local candidates they can offer the job to a foreigner.
The work permits are issued to the employer for a specific employee and for a specific workplace. However, in most cases it is possible for an employee to change his workplace as the new employer receives a new work permit. In short, the basis of the Irish policy is that the market and the availability of job vacancies determine whether work permits will be issued for immigrants from the countries outside the European Economic Area, i.e., for people from within the area no permits are required.
As a result of the fast economic growth in Ireland, more comparatively high paid jobs are being created in recent years. Local people cannot fill them because there is no unemployment in the country already ( see table ) . As a result for the last five years more than 150,000 people joined the labour market in the country. They contribute to the increase of the economic growth and rise of prosperity of Ireland, which is already the second wealthiest country in the European Union ( only Luxemburg ranks before Ireland ). According to some studies the inflow of emmigrants increases the GDP growth by 3-4 percent per annum.
|
|
Labour Force |
Employment |
UE Rate |
Inflows |
Outflows |
Net migration |
|
|
000s |
000s |
% |
000s |
000s |
000s |
|
1994 |
1431.6 |
1220.6 |
14.7 |
30.1 |
34.8 |
-4.7 |
|
1995 |
1459.2 |
1281.7 |
12.2 |
31.2 |
33.1 |
-1.9 |
|
1996 |
1507.5 |
1328.5 |
11.9 |
39.2 |
31.2 |
8 |
|
1997 |
1539 |
1379.9 |
10.3 |
44.5 |
25.3 |
19.2 |
|
1998 |
1620.4 |
1494 |
7.8 |
46 |
28.6 |
17.4 |
|
1999 |
1685.9 |
1589.1 |
5.7 |
48.9 |
