France: Selective Immigration, Brain Drain, Immigration Law, Point system

“The productivity of French workers is one of the highest in the world. There is no doubt that the actions of the public authorities are not without effect on this performance.” With these words the report on ‘Selective Immigration and the needs of the French Economy” introduces the question on selective immigration in France. The French government wishes to give the right to abide only to migrants who do not lessen the average productivity in France.

According to the last census in 1999 there have been 4.3 million immigrants in France. This corresponds to 7.4 percent of the whole generation. More than a third of immigrants have acquired French nationality.

 

The government report states that qualified labour force has a higher productivity than the average. Relying on the so called “theory of endogenous growth” (or “New Growth Theory”) which constitutes an economic theory on the explanation of economic growth, the economy of a country will grow faster if it accumulates human capital. Thus, the immigration of (highly)qualified workers will contribute to wealth and growth in the destination country (France) and lead to an increased per capita GDP, the report tells.

In the next 2-3 years the report sees shortages and needs for staff in hotels, nurses, technical personal, cooks, butchers, bakers, housing technicians. More over, the report recommends to open the border for teachers, managers of enterprises, IT-workers and researchers.

In the view of the positive effects of selective immigration, French Interior Minister Sarkozy proposed to establish a point system in order to rank potential immigrants on the basis of their country of origin and their qualifications.

However, the proposed laws contain restrictions on other fields, too. According to the draft, the government should be enabled to expel migrants who do not seek work or who do not make efforts to integrate into French society. Under the current alien act, in case of marriage with a French national illegal immigrants are entitled to obtain a residence permit after 18 month. According to Sarkozy’s proposal, this period shall be extended to three years

Moreover, the access family members  of unskilled immigrants from outside the EU will be limited by establishing the precondition of sufficient financial means to maintain family members in France.

In order to ease the access of highly skilled migrants, the bill proposes a three-year work permit for educated professionals such as scientists, executives and academics. Foreign students who obtain a masters' degree in France will be given a work permit if they find a job within six months after completing their degree.

Some immigrant organisations argue that selective immigration constitutes a discriminatory act. The French ‘Collectif des Sans Papier’ critized, that the project was based on a “utilitaristic conception of immigration, reducing a person to a sole labour force”.

 

In October 2005, the Global Commission on International Migration published its final report. In the first two of six ‘principles for action’, the commission urges that those women and men who migrate and enter the global labour market should be able to do so because they and their skills are valued and needed by the states and societies that receive them. Moreover, the role that migrants play in promoting development and poverty reduction in countries of origin, as well as the contribution they make towards the prosperity of destination countries, should be recognized and reinforced. International migration should become an integral part of national, regional and global strategies for economic growth, in both the developing and developed world.

 

Thus, it is not true, that selective immigration per se is an evil. It is not a discriminatory argument to state that integration and acceptance of immigrants may be enhanced if their qualifications are valued. On a philosophical level, one can ask if the so called native population has the right to close its borders. Does the piece of land where you live belong to you and can you exclude other from its use? This is a highly complex question, which however do not enter political discussion. On a practical level, there is some evidence that controlled and managed immigration lessens tensions and social problems which are often correlated to the phenomenon of immigration.

On the other hand, if destination countries close their borders for unskilled labour, this may cause increased flows of illegal immigration since the so called ‘migration pressure’ will increase. All countries have to tackle these problems which are caused by the extreme difference of life standards and wealth in the world. Thus, mere closing and securing borders is no effective and surely no adequate solution.

 

Lastly, the phenomenon of ‘brain drain’ has to be taken into consideration. However, the often used black and white scheme of hazardous brain outflow as a detriment to economic development of developing countries does not reflect socio-economic realities. Under certain conditions highly-skilled emigration out of developing countries may have positive effects on the source country. Nonetheless, destinations countries should be aware of possible negative consequences and should refrain from some forms of recruitment programmes. The phenomenon of ‘migration & development’ is currently discussed at the World Bank, at the United Nations and at EU–level. The outcomes of the policy debate will have to be considered - even in the context of French immigration policy.

 

by

Daniel Naujoks