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Immigration statistics based on a standardised definition

Immigration statistics based on a standardised definition. Georges Lemaitre Non member Econmies and International Migration Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, UNECE / Eurostat work session on migration statistics Edinburgh 22 November 2006. Current state of affairs.

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Immigration statistics based on a standardised definition

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  1. Immigration statistics based on a standardised definition Georges Lemaitre Non member Econmies and International Migration Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, UNECE / Eurostat work session on migration statistics Edinburgh 22 November 2006

  2. Current state of affairs • Poor comparability of national immigration flow statistics • Little to no progress over the past decade • Lots of documentation of definitional differences available • No serious harmonisation attempts • Few efforts to produce statistics according to UN recommendations • Broad harmonisation not possible without changes to / in national data sources in some countries • Way ahead => Eurostat proposed guideline on migration statistics

  3. Outlier

  4. In the interim • Should one wait for the perfect system or make progress where it is possible? • Need for data by migration category • International students • Intra-corporate transfers • Cross-border service providers • Not to mention family reunification, family formation, refugees • Use of alternative data sources • Categorical approach to immigration flows • Permit data

  5. Examples of international migration movements- should we add these up? • Seasonal workers • Cross-border service providers (« Bolkesteiners ») • International students • Asylum seekers • Fiancés and adopted children • Family reunification • Intracorporate transfers • Settlement immigrants • Working holidaymakers • Highly-skilled immigrants • Trainees • Persons on exchange programs

  6. How do we distinguish between short- and long-term? • By duration of residence (intended, actual, permit duration) • Ideal for demographic accounting and compatibility with other statistics • Objective criterion, easy to apply • Approximation to long-term residence But => • Comparability ensured only for actual-stay criterion • Does not recognise differences in legal and economic rights of different kinds of immigrants • Splits categories of migration

  7. How do we distinguish between short- and long-term? (bis) • Along categorical lines • Short-term: Seasonal workers, trainees, international students, service providers, exchange visitors, etc. • Long-term: Family reunification, family formation, settlement, refugees, long-term labour migrants • Differentiated on the basis of • Permit renewability • Legal and economic rights, e.g. access to labour market and to social benefits, limitations on activities The issue is: Who is in for the long-term and who is supposed to be returning to the home country, as decided / determined by the receiving state.

  8. The categorical approach to describing international migration movements • Countries generally recognise the same kinds of categories. • Approach ensures close connection to immigration policy. • There is a strong association between entry category and labour market outcomes. But => • Categories are not entirely uniform / consistent across countries. • There are problems with permit data, require processing. • Permits do not cover nationals, free movement, outflows.

  9. Labour force outcomes by migration category 16-17 months after arrival, Australia.

  10. Characteristics of category-based data • Coverage • « Long-term » only • Inclusions / exclusions based on category, not on expected stay / actual stay / permit duration • Exclude unauthorised movements, regularisations • Include « status changes », from short- to long-term, where possible => thus combine inflows and status changes • Difficulties • Free movement difficult to capture in a sensible way • Status changes are sometimes uncertain

  11. An example – inflows in Japan(average duration=stock/inflow)

  12. Recapitulation • Objective was to produce immigration statistics • On a standardised definition • On foreign nationals (arrivals and status changes) • Long-term, according to a permit renewability criterion • By category of entry • Progress on this front need not be a hostage to the ultimate objective of getting standardised statistics on all inflows, according to international definitions.

  13. A comparison of results.

  14. Where do we go from here? • Refine the renewability definition and the use of national data • Develop series • Extend coverage to more countries • Extend coverage to short-term movements And => Wait, patiently, for statistics based on international recommendations.

  15. For further details, see OECD Statistics Brief N° 9: • The Comparability of International Migration Statistics – Problems and Prospects at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/60/44/36064929.pdf Thank you for your attention.

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