Transcript Martin

Role of Migration in Meeting Ireland's Skills Needs
Trinity Immigration Initiative: Migration Research Fair
24 September 2007
Martin Shanahan
Background: Ireland’s Migration Story
Immigration, Emigration & Net Migration in Ireland 1987 - 2006
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Thousands
60
-20
-40
-60
Net Migration
Outward Migration
Inward Migration
Flow of Immigrants…..
Immigration Flows by Origin 1999-2006
40
35
Thousands
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1999
2000
UK
2001
2002
EU excluding UK & Ire
2003
US
2004
2005
Rest of the World
2006
EU 10
Non Irish National Population in Ireland, 2006
Non-Irish National Population; Persons Usually Resident in Ireland
Classified by Nationality, Census 2006
America
5%
Other
3%
Not stated
10%
UK
24%
Asia
10%
Africa
8%
Rest of Europe
5%
Rest of EU
35%
Immigration Likely to Continue
Labour force in 2020 will be made up of
1.45m
From the current
labour force of 2m
+
650,000
New flow of young
people from the
education system
+
300,000
Increased
participation &
Migration
2.4m
Labour force
EGFSN Migration Research
Three elements to the EGFSN work
• Identification of Skills Gaps
• Potential to fill skills gaps from
within the EEA Region based on
push and pull factors; analysis of
labour markets in other relevant
countries
• Labour Availability
• Labour Ability
• Labour Mobility
• Advise on Model to facilitate
economic migration and procedural
options
based on findings of report, other
countries’ practices and
consultations
Skills and Labour Shortages Identified (2007)
– Shortages currently exist within the Irish
labour market. These shortages can be
broadly characterised as skill shortages
and labour shortages.
These include:
• Engineering occupations
• IT Professions
• Financial Professions
• Healthcare Professions
Key Findings From Research
– Ireland up to 2004 operated a relatively open and
‘laissez faire’ system of economic migration compared
to its European counterparts.
– Managed economic migration is of benefit to the Irish
Economy.
– In general, a sufficient pool of potential migrant labour
exists within the EEA to meet Ireland’s skills
requirements at the lower end of the skills continuum.
– The 10 new EU accession countries offer the best
potential for Ireland in attracting labour at the lower end
of the skills continuum.
– The pool of labour available from within the EEA region
which is likely to migrate to Ireland contracts
significantly at the higher end of the skills continuum.
More Key Findings
– Within the EEA, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia,
Czech Republic and the UK offer the best opportunity
for attracting graduate labour.
– All of Ireland’s high skilled migration needs are unlikely
to be filled from within the EEA.
– The attractiveness of Ireland to potential migrants in
specific sectors varies significantly from country to
country.
Some Underpinning Principles
– Ireland’s economic migration policy has to be addressed in a
context relative to our overall population size and the free
movement of labour from within the EEA region.
– There is a social impact and cost resulting from economic
migration which economic policy makers and enterprise
should be cognisant of.
– Migration alone is not a sustainable long term solution to skills
shortages.
– Economic migration does not have an observable effect on
GDP per capita but does impact on the distribution of income.
– Migration can in some circumstances help to perpetuate skills
shortages in the economy.
– The primary policy objective of Government should be the upskilling of the resident population at all levels.
– The observance of Community Preference over third country
nationals.
Underpinning Principles Continued
• A narrowing of the occupational gap which currently
exists i.e. maximising the full potential of migrants
currently working within Ireland would significantly
reduce skills shortages and increase productivity.
– Ireland has to compete with other countries for migrant
labour, particularly at the high end of the skills
continuum.
– Migration is justified for the following categories of
skills: those with very high skills; entrepreneurs; those
with company specific skills; those with knowledge and
skills emanating from their host nationality which can be
employed e.g. knowledge of markets, culture, and native
language
– In an effectively functioning labour market, real wages
adjust to address labour shortages and skill shortage .
Wage levels should be free to move in both directions.
This does not always occur due to rigidities in the
labour market e.g. government intervention (minimum
wage) lack of information, mobility issues etc.
EGFSN High Level Proposals October 2005
– Dual system incorporating a Green Card system and a
reformed Work Permit system
– Facilitate high skilled migration on both a permanent
and temporary basis and make attractive vis-à-vis
competing countries
– Encourage migration from within the EEA region
– Reduce the facility to attract low skilled migrants from
outside the EEA region
– Transparency - Reactive to Labour Market - User
Friendly - Integration -Balancing Other Interests Enforcement of Legislation
Developments Since Publication
• Employment Permits Act 2006
– Put in place a statutory framework to implement an
active, managed economic migration policy
– Established three pillars - Green Cards, an IntraCompany Transfer Scheme and a revised Work Permits
system
– Provides a number of new important protections for
migrant workers who are working in Ireland
Impact on Non EEA Migration
Work Permits Feb-June 2007
425
37
800
156
Pre New Legislation Permit
Employment Permit
Green Card
Intra Company Transfer
Spousal
1,045
717
Training