The report entitled “Measures and rules developed in the EU Member States regarding integration of third county nationals” is a comparative analysis of schemes established in the 27 member States and Norway. It does not cover the full scope of integration policies but aims more precisely to compare national policies and measures adopted in two specific fields: language and civic knowledge, on the one hand, and access to the labour market in the other.
This choice is based on two main elements: firstly, language knowledge as well as knowledge of the host country’s political and institutional organisation, its history, its values (considered here as civic knowledge) and access to the labour market are commonly considered as key factors to migrants’ successful integration. Secondly, the progressive Europeanisation of immigration and integration policies has addressed these domains either through the harmonisation of national rules or through the coordination of national policies.
As a consequence, and on the basis of existing comparative analysis, this report details national schemes established in the member states covered and tries to identify convergences and divergences that may emerge between national rules and practices. The report seeks to examine how states use language and civic knowledge or request migrants to fulfil such measures at three different stages on the migratory pathway: before entering the host state, after entering the host state and for the acquisition of a permanent/long-term residence permit. The report also takes into account measures developed in the states regarding migrants’ access to the labour market.
This report, realised with the support of the network of National Contacts Points on Integration, coordinated by the European Commission and with the financial contribution of the European Fund for Integration, contains numerous details regarding national schemes.
Read the full paper here