Immigrant Integration Policies Research Articles

Immigration status and adolescents’ voting intention in European countries: The importance of immigrant integration policy context

This article investigates whether policy efforts to integrate immigrants into society can have interpretive effects and motivate adolescents of immigrant origin in European countries to engage in the host country’s political system. We find that countries with more inclusive integration policies tend to have smaller gaps in voting intention between adolescents of immigrant origin and those not of immigrant origin, holding constant an array of individual and family politically relevant resources. Specifically, differences across countries in the inclusiveness of education policies appear to be a strong predictor of the magnitude of voting intention gaps between first-generation and native adolescents. In the case of second-generation vs. native gaps in voting intention, the inclusiveness of citizenship acquisition policies emerges as a key predictor. In these times of strong polarization and anti-immigration discourse across Europe, our findings are particularly relevant for policymakers and researchers in their efforts to address what might be done to help promote the long-term political integration of immigrants and their descendants.

The Rights and Protections of Third-Country Nationals in the European Internal Market: Assessing Legal Safeguards and Integration Policies for Immigrants

The Rights and Protections of Third-Country Nationals in the European Internal Market: Assessing Legal Safeguards and Integration Policies for Immigrants

이주배경 청소년의 정치적 관여에 대한 유럽 17개국 비교연구

Most prior research has viewed the political engagement of immigrant-origin adolescents as an individual decision. However, we know that policy efforts to integrate immigrants into society can motivate immigrant-origin adolescents to engage in the host country’s political system. This article indicates that the host country’s policy context surrounding immigrant integration can influence immigrant-origin adolescents’ discussion of political issues and interest in politics in the host country over and above their individual and family attributes. To assess this relationship, we combine the 2009 International and Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) with the 2007 Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). Our hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) meta analyses of 17 European countries show that in countries with more inclusive integration policies, immigrant-origin adolescents are substantially more likely to participate in political discussions and become interested in politics than their native peers. In particular, the inclusiveness of the legal-political dimension of immigrant integration policy appears to exert a strong influence on the political engagement of first-generation adolescents, while the inclusiveness of the socioeconomic dimension of immigrant integration policy, especially immigrant education policy, emerges as a key predictor for the political engagement of second-generation adolescents. Based on our findings, we also discuss theoretical and policy implications.

Will the gap ever be bridged? A cross-national comparison of non-native students’ educational achievements

A crucial element in evaluating the success of immigrant integration policies is to compare the school performances of immigrant students with that of natives. According to large-scale international assessments, immigrant students tend to underperform their native peers even after controlling for socioeconomic conditions, with relevant differences depending on countries’ migration histories. This article analyses the evolution in the skills gap between native students and students with an immigrant background by comparing traditional (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) and new immigration countries (Italy and Spain) using data collected from the Program for International Student Assessment survey from 2009 to 2018. We model students’ learning outcomes in mathematics and reading in a multilevel setting by clustering students at the high school level. This approach allows us to compare countries’ relative performances concerning the immigrant integration process by accounting for the role played by high schools and students’ backgrounds. Results show that the differences between native and immigrant students in both sets of countries are narrowing but still present.

Relationship between immigrant integration and socioeconomic indicators of European immigrant-receiving countries

Integration is a two-way process depending on host countries, and the immigrants. Immigrants' successful integration in the host countries is an important issue bringing benefits for both immigrants and the host countries. Immigrants receiving countries' migration policies, actions, and peoples' perception towards accepting foreign citizens is an essential factor in the successful integration process. However, the integration process in a specific geographical region, such as Europe, also differs from one country to another. The integration process depends on the socioeconomic position, and development of the host and home countries. It also depends on the types of migration, migrants' status, etc. Therefore, this study tries to investigate and explain the typology and socioeconomic characteristics of European immigrant receiving countries regarding integration policies. It discusses the relationship between Human Development Index, Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Social Progress Index, Gross National Income, Internet users % of the population, Ranking of Happiness, Happiness Ranking for the Foreign-Born, KOF Globalization index, and Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). This study uses a descriptive-analytical method, to show the socioeconomic characteristics of European immigrant-receiving countries. To show the strength of the relationship between the indexes, the study used pairwise correlation analysis (sig. level, 0.01). The main results of the study show that Northern and Western European countries have more favorable integration policies for immigrants than Southern and Eastern European countries. Moreover, there is a mutual positive interrelationship between all the indexes. The happier the citizens of the host countries are, the happier the immigrants are and the more favorable the integration policies are for immigrants.

The effect of language training on immigrants’ integration: Does the duration of training matter?

Language training programs have become a crucial part of immigrant integration policies in many developed countries. We examine whether the intensity of training, in terms of duration, increases the likelihood of integration, particularly labor market integration. We investigate a government-sponsored language training program for immigrants in France. Using both difference-in-differences (DiD) and matching-DiD, we find that, for employed immigrants, longer duration of training significantly increases their chances of having a formal-sector job and a permanent employment contract. We also find suggestive evidence that more effective conveyance of knowledge on labor market institutions, and greater opportunities to expand one’s social network during the program, underlie the benefits of longer training hours. These effects are more pronounced among more educated immigrants, but disappear for refugees.

Integration Policy and the Subjective Well-being of Immigrants—Using the Variation in Available Inclusive Services Across Local Governments

Delivering inclusive services to foreign residents is an important policy agenda, yet it is challenging when the preference for inclusive services is scarcely captured. This study examines the inclusion policy preferences of foreign residents through the association between welfare measures and variations in available inclusion efforts across municipalities in Japan. The situation in Japan presents a unique opportunity to examine the objective of this study in a context in which a comprehensive nationwide immigrant integration policy is absent and local governments have discretion as to which services to provide to foreign residents. This study found that reported welfare measures in the survey, such as satisfaction with the local government and the subjective well-being (SWB) of foreign residents, are positively associated with inclusive service availability. Further analysis indicates that assistance with accessing medical care and help with Japanese language learning opportunities are among the more relevant services sought by foreign residents.

Labour Market and Immigration Nexus in V4 countries: Using Panel Data Analysis for the Period of 2000-2020

Immigration and its effects have been a heating topic among V4 countries after the 2014 migration crisis. Hence the current study is interested to study the relationship between unemployment and immigration in the case of V4 countries. Accordingly, it covers 20 years for the period of 2000 to 2021. Using secondary dynamic panel data and applying fixed effect with Driscoll and Kraay standard errors. The result of this paper indicates a positive and significant effect of immigration on unemployment. Policy recommendation includes immigration integration policy and prioritise economic growth, inflation, labour movement free movement within EU and development policies while incorporating immigrant as factor to propel the growth in the labour-intensive industry.

Dimensions of emigration policy: An indexing exercise for polities across three regions

AbstractSpecialized indices of immigration, immigrant integration policies, and citizenship policies are expanding the confines of our knowledge in the field of comparative migration policies. Emigration policies, however, have garnered less attention. We address this gap in the literature, by using a new data set to create an index that measures contemporary emigration regulations of 32 polities across three regions in the world (Asia, Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean). Based on this exploratory exercise, we examine the assumptions about emigration controls and policies being a matter of the past or belonging to non‐democratic regimes. We find that emigration policies go beyond the mere regulation of the right to exit. Different components across a continuum from restriction to encouragement of emigration suggest different rationales and purposes of states, even if the hardest forms of emigration control, such as exit bans are absent in the studied sample.

Migration Crisis in The European Union and Hungary's Legal and Political Attitudes Towards Migration

This paper delves into Hungary's legal and political attitudes towards migration in the context of the EU's migration crisis. Specifically, it examines Hungary's response to the migration crisis, including its efforts to restrict migration and tighten border controls, and the underlying motivations driving these measures. Additionally, it undertakes a critical analysis of the legal implications of Hungary's approach to migration, including the potential violations of EU law and human rights. The present article directs scholarly attention towards the contentious nature of Hungary's immigration and immigrant integration policies, undertaking law analysis thereof. The study concludes that Hungary's stance on migration poses a broader challenge to the EU's commitment to humanitarian principles and raises important questions about the future of migration policy within the Union. As such, this study highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address the migration crisis which the EU is dealing with.

Динамика миграционных и интеграционных процессов в Южной Европе

The article analyzes the latest migration trends in Southern Europe. Given the proximity to Africa and the Middle East, which are the main sources of migrant flows, the discussed topic is especially acute for the region and the countries chosen for the analysis, namely Portugal, Spain, Italy, San Marino and Malta. Using a comparative approach, the article focuses on the European general strategy for the reception of migrants versus its actual results. Despite the fact that the EU guidance and standards provide the foundation for immigrant integration policies across the region, the actual legal practice, its implementation and results in specific countries differ widely. To some extent, Portugal is ahead of other nations in the region, and its advantage is the result of a nationwide immigrant integration policy and a single state body empowered to lead its implementation. In Spain, on the other hand, the development of integration policies is performed regionally, meaning the absence of a nationwide integration program and, hence, a certain level of fragmentation and a lesser degree of policy efficiency. Italy adopted its first immigrant integration plan as recently as in 2017, and it has not brought significant results yet. Still, with the recent upscale in immigration flows, Italy’s former soft immigration policies are becoming tougher. The country remains committed to multiculturalism and the quota mechanism for receiving migrants. Although tiny in size, Malta experiences high immigrant flow pressure, and tries to tackle it by providing de facto paid citizenship and residence permits for privileged immigrant strata.

Pitfalls of belonging-work. The dialectics of belonging and exclusion in Finnish immigrant integration policies

ABSTRACT As participatory integration policies proliferate in Europe, it has become urgent to examine how the relational techniques of government they deploy condition migrants’ membership in their host societies. This article forges an interactive and intersectional approach to the analysis of integration policies with the intent of laying bare the complex dynamics of belonging and exclusion played out in their context. Based on an ethnographic study in Helsinki, the article shows how the intendedly inclusive and egalitarian “homey” mode of belonging promoted by welfare professionals engenders uneven conditions for immigrant women to partake in the local community and broader Finnish society. Premised on gendered, culturalized, and classed categories of citizenship and belonging the neighbourhood house provides positive recognition to “respectable” (immigrant) mothers but also perpetuates the division between natives and immigrants and requires more belonging work from them than their native peers.

Toronto’s Francophone Voluntary Sector Under Pressure: The Challenges of Immigrant Integration in a Linguistic Minority Context

The neoliberalization of Canada’s immigration and immigrant integration policies has impacted how Francophone communities in English dominated provinces outside of Québec can develop and thrive. This article examines the challenges faced by Francophone community organizations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in their efforts to successfully integrate Francophone immigrants. The GTA’s Francophone voluntary sector has been affected by a “community government” mindset, which limits its ability to support the integration of Francophone newcomers into the local French-speaking community. We use public documents and interviews with representatives of key Francophone community organizations to document these challenges. Keywords / Mots clés : community government, Francophonie, immigration, Toronto, voluntary organizations / gouvernement communautaire, Francophonie, immigration, Toronto, organismes bénévoles

Meanings of Quebec’s Linguistic Integration Program as Perceived by Recent Immigrants

The meanings and effects of government-funded language training programs is an important research subject because it concerns possible prejudices against immigrants and negative stereotypes as well as discussions on the effectiveness of immigrant integration policies in general. The effects of civic integration programs are difficult to measure, and there is insufficient research devoted to such analysis. This study, by applying quantitative content analysis to examine the responses of 73 participants in a linguistic integration program, found the most essential meanings of the program that can be revealed only through personal participation. The results of this study can be used to evaluate language training programs for adult newcomers and provide ideas on which elements of the educational process should receive special attention from teachers and employers of language programs.

Migrants’ Health Policies and Access to Health Care in Portugal within the European Framework

Migratory flows have a specific influence in the European and Portuguese demographic context. Societies’ commitment to ensure fundamental rights of all citizens and migrants includes the promotion of health. This study aims to describe migrants’ health policies and access to the health system in Portugal within the European framework. We carried out a mixed methods approach, analyzing health policies in European Union countries and public health key indicators from statistical secondary data collected from Eurostat and Migrant Integration Policy Index. This data was complemented with a survey applied to immigrants living in Portugal. Portugal is a European country known for its favorable immigrant integration policies and has developed access to the health care system. However, our study has shown that greater investment is needed to overcome limitations or social inequalities which inhibit migrants’ access. Additionally, we sought to present a comparative analysis between Portugal and European Union countries, which can contribute to improve health systems within the current crisis.

“Swedes’ relations to their government are based on trust”

Civic orientation has become one of the dominant immigrant integration policies in western Europe, with the aim of transmitting knowledge, norms, and values, thereby furthering “integration” into the new country. However, there is a not much research regarding how the educational content is communicated and negotiated in civic orientation courses in practice. This article aims to bring more empirically based knowledge in this field. The case study discussed in this article explores one specific module, entitled “nature and environment”, in civic orientation courses for newly arrived adults in Sweden. This is done through participatory observations in the courses, both in classrooms in real life and on the internet and exploring in detail the negotiations between the civic orientation communicators and the course participants. The analyses show how a real “success story” of Sweden and its citizens is constructed through an overall discourse of Swedes high awareness of the environment and nature, not least through comparisons between geographical spaces in the world. The analyses also re-veal antagonistic voices about the content, although these are not particularly strong. We suggest that there is an urgent need to critically reflect on the aim, content, and teaching practices of civic orientation courses for newly arrived migrants, as these more seem to contribute to the Swedish nation’s reproduction of “banal nationalism”.

The Effect of Immigrant Integration Policies on Public Immigration Attitudes: Evidence from a Survey Experiment in the United Kingdom

Drawing on intergroup threat theory, this article argues that immigrant integration policies can improve public attitudes toward immigrants and, particularly, toward refugees and asylum-seekers. Examining evidence from an original survey experiment conducted in the United Kingdom, I find that support for admitting asylum-seekers increases when respondents are made aware that prospective asylum-seekers will be required to partake in language and civic-education courses. This effect is particularly strong among respondents who were more likely to perceive asylum-seekers as a symbolic threat (i.e., conservatives). Similarly, support for admitting asylum-seekers increases when respondents are told that future asylum-seekers will only have limited access to welfare. This effect is stronger among respondents who were more likely to view asylum-seekers as a material threat (i.e., conservatives and individuals with low socioeconomic status). These findings have important implications for the literatures on immigrant integration policies, intergroup threat theory, and public immigration attitudes generally. Importantly, the results reported in this article illustrate the significance of structural determinants for the study of immigration attitudes and demonstrate the importance of disaggregating immigrant integration policies when evaluating their effects.

Problematising mainstream Spanish antiracism: race, racism and whiteness

ABSTRACT In Spain, (anti-)racism is of scarce relevance to public debates and, when the topic is broached, it has mainly been discussed in relation to non-EU migration. Besides, its historical link with colonialism generally remains unacknowledged. This article analyses the problematisation of ‘race’ and ‘racism’ in this context, as performed by hegemonic stakeholders (i.e. public servants, NGOs, experts) in the fields of anti-discrimination, Roma inclusion and immigrant integration policies. As the fieldwork materials illustrate, this understanding rejects ‘race’ not only from a scientific-biological perspective but also as a social-political category. Accordingly, racism is depoliticised and theorised in a twofold manner: (1) as a matter of stereotypes, prejudices and lack of information about the ‘Other’; (2) as the aggressive acts of explicitly racist individuals/organisations. The structural, historical and institutional dimensions of racism are addressed either as background context, or they are negated by public policies. By not confronting the uneven power relations (re)produced by racism, this approach reaffirms ‘institutional whiteness’ as the underlying perspective of mainstream Spanish anti-racism.

From Good “User” to Good Citizen? The Political Effects on Families of Education Policies in France

This article analyzes the contribution of education policies to the shaping of citizenship in France. We connect two inquiries. The first, about Moral and Civic Teaching, is a case of policy intentionally devoted to convey civic norms. The second, about the ordinary government of parents, concerns diffuse civic socialization at school. We ask how, and to what extent, the political order of school—composed of policy programs and institutional routines—builds civic behaviors throughout an intertwinement between school‐related norms and citizenship standards. The analysis mainly relies on qualitative data—hundreds of interviews and ethnography—taking into account various contexts in France regarding the schools and the geographic situations. Education policies not only appear central in the definition of civic norms and the “good” ways of acting politically in France, but may also be critical in other democratic systems where school plays a comparable role in the socialization to and by the state.Related Articles in this Special IssueBarrault‐Stella, Lorenzo, and Thomas Douniès. 2021. “Introduction to the Special Issue: Citizenship as a Tool of Government in Europe.” Politics & Policy 49 (4).Haapajärvi, Linda. 2021. “On the Importance of Playing House: Belonging Work and the Making of Relational Citizens in Finnish Immigrant Integration Policies.” Politics & Policy 49 (4).Skowronska, Kaja. 2021. “The Recent Politicization of Immigration in Poland in Light of Preexisting State Practices: Continuity or Change in the Understanding of Citizenship and Nationhood?” Politics & Policy 49 (4).

The “Good Citizen” as a “Respectable Worker:” State, Unemployment, and Social Policy in the United Kingdom and Italy, 1930 to 1950

This article approaches “good citizenship(s)” in its historical connection with the status of “worker.” It scrutinizes how and to what extent the perception of the “good citizen” changed from the Great Depression to the foundations of the post‐war welfare state. It compares unemployment policies in the United Kingdom and Italy from the 1930s to the early 1950s, to grasp how these schemes reflected the shifting features of “good citizenship(s).” The article emphasizes policy legacies that reshaped citizenship and the attached social rights after 1945. These continuities rest in the link between the full participation to the political community and “work” as a distinguishing trait of the “good citizen” deserving social benefits. Apparently diluted by the post‐war “Marshallian consensus,” these deep‐seated understandings resurfaced with contemporary workfare systems. The connection between “good citizenship” and “work” lends itself to further transdisciplinary studies on the theoretical and political foundations of today's welfare systems.Related Articles in this Special IssueBarrault‐Stella, Lorenzo, and Thomas Douniès. 2021. “Introduction to the Special Issue: Citizenship as a Tool of Government in Europe.” Politics & Policy 49 (4).Ewert, Benjamin. 2021. “Citizenship as a Form of Anticipatory Obedience? Implications of Preventive Health Policy in Germany.” Politics & Policy 49 (4).Haapajärvi, Linda. 2021. “On the Importance of Playing House: Belonging‐Work and the Making of Relational Citizens in Finnish Immigrant Integration Policies.” Politics & Policy 49 (4).