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Immigrants in Belgium

Immigrants in Belgium. in historical perspective. Content. 1. Four phases in migration 1920-1939: interbellum 1946-1956: after WO II 1956-1974: the golden sixties 1974-2009: after the immigration stop 2. The Belgian multicultural society Statistics Challenges Difficulties

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Immigrants in Belgium

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  1. Immigrants in Belgium in historical perspective

  2. Content • 1. Four phases in migration • 1920-1939: interbellum • 1946-1956: after WO II • 1956-1974: the golden sixties • 1974-2009: after the immigration stop • 2. The Belgian multicultural society • Statistics • Challenges • Difficulties • Discourses • 3. Shifting focus in policy

  3. 2. Four phases in migration: 1920-1939

  4. Four phases in migration1920-1939 • Context • rebuilding the country after WO I • Recruitment campaigns for foreign labourers • Main goal • the coal industry in Wallonia and Limburg • First immigrants from neighbouring countries • France, The Netherlands, Germany • Later from Poland and Italy • 1930 • 319.000 (3,9%)

  5. Four phases in migration1946-1956 • Context • rebuilding Belgium after WO II • Boom period • difficulties in finding enough labourers for heavy industry (harber, building, coal) • From the sixties • recruitment from North Africa and Turkey: “Welcome in Belgium!!” • Report Sauvy • due to demographic reasons also the immigration of complete families is advised

  6. Four phases in migration1974-2009 • Early seventies • oil crisis • 1974 • West-European immigration-stop • Not applied to • people living in EU • people appealing to family reunion • asylum seekers and refugees • Presupposition • problems of migration will disappear • Since 1989 • an increase of Eastern-European and Chinese immigrants

  7. The Belgian multicultural society - Statistics • In 2007 Belgium (10.584.534 inhabitants) had 932.161 (8,8%) inhabitants with a foreign nationality. • Taking into account New Belgians (immigrants adopting the Belgian nationality) 1.709.487 (6,1%) = 14,9%

  8. The Belgian multicultural society - Statistics

  9. The Belgian multicultural society - Statistics • Dispersal over districts • Flanders: 331.694 (5,4%) • Wallonia: 316.940 (8,8%) • Brussels: 283.527 (27,5%)

  10. The Belgian multicultural society - Statistics

  11. The Belgian multicultural society - Statistics • Ghent (237.250 inhabitants) • 7,8% foreigners + New Belgians = 15% (33.250) • of which 9975 of Turkish origin, 1995 of Moroccan origin

  12. The Belgian multicultural society - Statistics

  13. The Belgian multicultural society - Challenges • Changing social relations • more dynamic and complex • loss of traditional structures such as village, church, family… • more choices to make, more experts to advise us • demands more capacity and flexibility

  14. The Belgian multicultural society - Challenges • Correlation between the degree of diversity and our poor social cohesion? • how do we want to live together? • how do we want to mix with each other, our neighbours, or guests? • how many differences are we prepared to deal with? • how do we imagine our common future?

  15. The Belgian multicultural society - Difficulties • Deficit in participation to education • More than 1/3th of immigrant children do not participate to kindergarten with a language and learning deficit as a consequence • Only 2% of the first-year students in Flemish colleges has a different cultural background

  16. The Belgian multicultural society - Difficulties • Deficit in participation to work • Immigrants earn 10% up to 25% less • Overconcentration of immigrants in low paid and/or part-time jobs • Deficit in well-being • Immigrants feel less healthy • Immigrants don’t find their way in health care that easily

  17. Racism is generally more directed towards Moroccan and Turkish, i.e. Islamic immigrants. Immigrants from neighbouring countries are not named and recognized as such, although they outnumber Islamic immigrants. East-Europeans are perceived as problematic when it comes to competition on the labour market. Policies and laws against racism Equal chances- and equal treatment policy (2008) Law against negationism (1991) Anti-racism law (1981) The Belgian multicultural society - Discourses

  18. Shifting focus in policy • 80’s > After the migration stop: shift from immigration towards civic integration • reduced to health policy for immigrants • 1989 > Towards an integral and coordinated immigration policy • pressure of increasing racism (1991: Black Sunday: VB 24%) • integration put into practice: a balance between segregation and assimilation politics !

  19. Shifting focus in policy • 1995 > Broadening policy towards ethnic-cultural minorities: • newcomers: treat policy • permanent: emancipation policy • sans-papiers: intake policy • focus on participation and inclusion • improving the social-economic position of immigrants • elimination of barriers

  20. Shifting focus in policy • 2002 > equal changes in education decree • seek to oppose social exclusion and discrimination: special attention for kids of deprived families • 2008 > participation decree • a mix of structural support or initiatives by means of projects, pointed at the participation of a large public and deprived groups, such as immigrants

  21. Shifting focus in policy • 2009 > Minority policy changes into an integration policy • working towards one society where individuals with diverse backgrounds live with and through each other • through empowerment and accessibility • one active and shared citizenship • attention to particular target groups • Actors involved: the Flemish government, citizens, the integration sector, the allochtonous middenveld

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