Maximizing Benefits of Labour Migration: Key Aspects and Strategies

1. Antje Gerstein, German Employers‘ Confederation (BDA)

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 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 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 Antje Gerstein

5. Remittances have effects 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 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 Antje Gerstein

8. Health Professionals on the move 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 Antje Gerstein

10. Examples for schemes (according to resp. national situations) • Circular migration schemes • Ouotas and ceilings • Points systems (Blue Card) • Seasonal workers Antje Gerstein

11. Seasonal workers in Germany 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 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 Antje Gerstein