Key issues and good practices in the labour market integration of new arrivals Thomas Liebig International Migration Division Directorate for Employment,

Key issues and good practices in the labour market integrationof new arrivals

Thomas Liebig

International Migration DivisionDirectorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD

Paris, 17 April 2013

The integration of new arrivals into the labour market- Some key questions to start with

How do the skills and experience of immigrants compare with those of the native-born?

Are the skills of immigrants « equivalent » to those of the native-born who have the same formal qualification levels – and does this matter?

What means are available to immigrants to « transmit » / « communicate » their skills and experience to employers?

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Lower employment of recent arrivals in most countries,but outcomes vary greatly

Percentage point differences in the employment/population ratios between

native and foreign-born, 15-64 years old, 2009-2010

Employment rate higher for

immigrants

Employment rate lower for

immigrants

Immigrant women tend to face larger gaps vis-à-vis their native-born peers than immigrant men 3/8

Differences in employment rates by education level between immigrants and the native-born are

least favourable for the highly-educated

Difference in employment rate of foreign- and native-born populations by educational level, 2009-10, 15-64 (excluding persons still in education) Immigrants have

higher employment rates

Immigrants have lower employment

rates The differences are particularly large for those with foreign qualifications from non-OECD countries; but in virtually all countries, immigrants’ employment rates increase with their qualification level 4/8

Migrants’ category of entry is the most important determinant of outcomes,

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30

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60

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2002 labour migrants 2002 family migrants 2002 refugees

All 2002 arrivals Total population

Evolution of the employment/population ratios of the 2002 migrant cohort in Norway, by migration motive, compared with the native-born population

…but there is some convergence over time

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Some further key observations concerning the labour market integration of new arrivals

Generally, immigrants encounter problems in entering the labour market, but good wage progression once employed

Early labour market entry is an important determinant of long-term labour market outcomes

Programmes which provide a first step into the labour market (work experiences measures) tend to be especially effective, in combination with (language) training and personalised counselling

Wage subsidies have often met with some success, but they are rarely used

New arrivals lack networks and knowledge about labour market functioning => well-designed mentorship programmes proved to be both effective and cost-efficient

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Good practices to facilitate the rapid integration of new arrivals into the labour market

Some examples identified in the OECD country studies (“Jobs for Immigrants”): Link language acquisition with work experience (Sweden)

Adapt language courses to the needs of the labour market and to immigrants’ competence levels (Australia, Denmark)

Target between 300 and 500 hours of language courses for the majority of immigrants (Sweden, France)

Incentives for municipalities to get immigrants rapidly integrated into the labour market (Denmark, Sweden)

Stepwise introduction into the labour market (“Stepmodel” - Denmark, Sweden)

Welcoming of immigrants via services “under a single roof” (CNAIs and CLAIs - Portugal)

Target introduction programmes towards immigrants lacking basic skills (Norway)

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For further information on the OECD’s work on integration:

www.oecd.org/migrationOr email: [email protected]