The question of the day. Should we regularize undocumented workers in France?

In 2023, the 38 OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries recorded 6.5 million new immigrants permanent (including people with a residence permit and European nationals), an increase of 10% compared to 2022, an already unprecedented year.

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The United States, whose new president-elect Donald Trump has promised mass expulsions, remains the top destination country with 1.2 million new legal permanent residents, the highest level since 2006.

Around a third of OECD countries experienced record levels of immigration, particularly the United Kingdom (747,000), but also Canada (472,000), France (298,000), Japan (155,000 ) and Switzerland (144,500).

On the other hand, immigration has fallen in another third of the countries in the region, notably in Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Italy, Lithuania and New Zealand.

Most of the increase is due to family migration (+16%), which represents 43% of total entries. But humanitarian immigration (+ 20%) is also on the rise, notes the OECD.

Labor migration has remained stable. However, the integration of immigrants into the labor market continues to reach unprecedented levels.

Few unemployed

The upward trend in post-pandemic immigrant employment continued in 2023, with the OECD recording overall historically high employment levels at 71.8%. The highest employment rate is in New Zealand (82.3%) while it reaches 62.4% in France.

At the same time, unemployment levels in these populations are low (7.3%). They are now only slightly more likely to find themselves long-term unemployed than their native-born counterparts notes the international organization.

Ten countries, including Canada (75.8%), the United Kingdom (76.3%) and the United States (73.3%), as well as all 27 EU countries, recorded highest immigrant employment rates ever recorded .

High demand for labor in host countries has been one of the main drivers of migration over the past two years explains in his editorial the director of employment and labor at the OECD Stefano Scarpetta.

In many OECD countries facing widespread labor shortages and looming demographic changes, increasing numbers of migrant workers have contributed to sustained economic growth he continues.

The weight of immigrants among entrepreneurs has also increased considerably in OECD countries over the last fifteen years. In 2022, 17% of self-employed workers were on average migrants, compared to 11% in 2006, notes the report.

“A delicate balance”

However, entrepreneurship is more often a necessity lack of access to salaried employment, rather than a opportunity lamented OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann at a press conference.

We must ensure that migrants are integrated, that their skills are recognized to maximize their positive impact in our economies added Mr. Scarpetta.

Public debate about the impact of migration on the labor market generally revolves around competition for jobs between immigrants and native-born workers. However, immigrants are not only competing workers, but also employers summarizes the report.

Aware that these significant flows have caused widespread concern and notably involved a strong demand for reception infrastructure the OECD estimates that migration management increasingly requires a delicate balance .

In addition to toughening asylum laws, some countries have also started to impose restrictions on other legal immigration routes to ease pressure on the housing market and public services.

The subject being, in this matter, find a balance between restriction and attraction, in order to remain competitive destinations for foreign workers and international students .