+

What reception programme for new migrants in Belgium?

Current situation, future prospects and opinions from the field

+Current situation of new migrants (NM) in Brussels(CBAI – UCL)

Important definition issues: who are we talking about? (and why?), who are we not talking about? (and why?)

Official definition : New migrants (‘recent arrivals’) : Min 18 years old, in Belgium for less than 3 years and in possession of a residence permit valid for more than 3 months a debatable definition !!

+NM in Belgium: a few figures (CBAI –

UCL)

01/01/2010

Evolution in Brussels 1995 - 2010

Regions Numbers of NM and percentage of the total population

Flanders 126 253 2,02%

Wallonia 64 896 1,86%

Brussels Capital Region (RBC)

110 76410,17% (10,6% on

01/01/2013)

Total 301 913 2,79%

RBC 1995 2000 2005 2010 2013

New migrants 47 658 56 619 76 167 110 764 122.679

X 2.6

+Diversity in Brussels

76781367%

37104133%

Nationalities in Brussels01/01/2012

BelgesEtrangers

589736693%

4539997%

Nationalities in Flanders

01/01/2012

BelgesEtrangers

320170590%

34462410%

Nationalities in Wal-lonia

01/01/2012

BelgesEtrangers

Sou

rce :

IB

SA

– S

ite c

on

sult

é le 3

0/0

9/2

01

3

+

26%

66%

9%

Origins in Brussels18-60 y.o - 2012

Belgian origin

Foreign origin

Undetermined origin

64%18%

18%

Origins in Flanders18-60 y.o. - 2012

Belgian originForeign originUnknown origin

57%29%

14%

Origines in Wallonia18-60 y.o. - 2012

Belgian originForeign originUnknown origin

Sou

rce :

Mon

itori

ng

soci

o-é

con

om

iqu

e –

SPF

Em

plo

i –

CEC

LR 2

01

3

Belgian origin = Belgian AND belgian-born AND with belgian-born parents

Foreign origin = Foreigners OR foreign-born OR with one foreign-born parent

Origins

Diversity in Brussels

+

33%

9%

7%5%

27%

10%

1%3%

7%

Origines à Bruxelles18-60 ans - 2012

EU14

EU12

EU candidats

Other european countries

North-Africa

Other african countries

North America

South America

Asia

Diversity in Brussels

+NM in Brussels: EU12, EU15, non EU

1995 2000 2005 20100

10

20

30

40

50

60

UE12UE15Hors UE

Pourc

enta

ges

2,3%1.100

24,7%27.300

+Non EU NM in Brussels

22/09/2011 : Non EU citizens

RBC RW RF

Family 44% 39% 38%

Studies 8% 8% 7%

Prof. occupation 10% 3% 4%

Refugees 3% 3% 4%

« Protection subsidiaire »

0% 1% 2%

Others 34% 46% 45%

Total 100% 100% 100%

Total (n) 40 168 29 418 68 036

37% 50% 51%

+Towards a ‘New migrants reception programme’ in Brussels

Warning : a very complex institutional situation in Belgium...

3 regions (territory)

3 communities (language)...

In Wallonia : 2 policies (difference between German and french speakers!)

In Flanders : 1 policy

In Brussels : 2 policies for everyone (difference between Flemish and french speakers!)

+Towards a New-migrants reception programme in Brussels Flanders :

Flemish Intergration policy Decree (2003) Vlaams Minderhedencentrum Obligatory

Wallonia : Foreigners or foreign origin persons integration

decree (1996 ) NEW : Reception Programme (2014) : work in

progress

Bruxelles : Social cohesion decree (2004) Flemish Intergration policy Decree (2003) NEW Reception Programme (2014) : work in

progress

Mig

rants Po

licy Im

pulsio

n Fu

nd, B

ig

Citie

s Policy

Fund, e

tc.

Educa

tion p

erm

anente

decre

e (1

7/0

7/2

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3), e

tc.

Euro

pean Fu

nds

+Towards a reception programme in Brussels

3 different policies with different approaches :

MulticulturalismAssimilationism

Inte

rventi

onis

mLa

isse

z-fa

ire

19962004

2013 Brussels (french

speaking)

Flanders

Laissez-faire vs interventionism: different approaches to working with NGOs

+Example : the more assimilationist approach in Flanders

Mig

rer

en

Fla

nd

re –

Coff

ret

d’in

trod

uct

ion

pou

r le

s fa

mill

es

imm

igra

nte

sV

laam

se O

verh

eid

/ In

bu

rgeri

ng

+Example : the more assimilationist approach in Flanders

Mig

rer

en

Fla

nd

re –

Coff

ret

d’in

trod

uct

ion

pou

r le

s fa

mill

es

imm

igra

nte

sV

laam

se O

verh

eid

/ In

bu

rgeri

ng

+Exemple : the more assimilationist view in Flanders

Mig

rer

en

Fla

nd

re –

Coff

ret

d’in

trod

uct

ion

pou

r le

s fa

mill

es

imm

igra

nte

sV

laam

se O

verh

eid

/ In

bu

rgeri

ng

+Towards a New migrants reception programme in Brussels Current situation in Brussels

More multilevel entanglements (Legal) Impossibility for Brussels to have a coherent policy on its territory

No sub-nationalities (Fl or Fr)

Not easy to implement an obligation (except via an agreement between Flemish and French local governments...)

Freedom for NM to choose the flemish or the french-speaking programme

Different profiles of migrants, even within a single national group (i.e. Polish people : working for the EU / working in the construction sector) – particularly salient in Brussels

What objectives and what possibility for an obligation ? What kind of citizens are we « creating » Flemish citizens, Brussels

citizens or Belgian citizens?

+Towards a New migrants reception programme for french-speaking Brussels Current situation in Brussels

I. Flemish-speaking side : a programme organised by BON Mainly subsidised by the Flemish government (about 4 millions euros / year) Public : not only new migrants !

Over18: foreigners or foreign-born Belgians with residence permit (including asylum seekers who have been in Belgium for more than 4 months)

Under 18: new migrants (searching for a Flemish school – punctual projects only)

Programme (not compulsory but all steps within are compulsory) : reception, social orientation class (in 13 languages – 80h) + flemish lessons+ individual support (total duration : 1 year or 2 years depending on literacy of participants)

Same methodology as in Flanders (Coöperatief Leren in Multiculturele Omgeving – CLIMO)

2012 : 2.898 persons chose to follow this programme

+Towards a New migrants reception programme for french-speaking Brussels

Current situation (changing at the moment)II. French-speaking side : Social Cohesion Plan: various language and citizenship

classes offered in different NGOs but rarely migrant-specific – reluctance to restrict public to migrants

Multilevel policies in place: No centralised information about various sessions available Different possibilities in different municipalities Rarely a ‘full package’ available in one organisation (language and citizenship classes for

example) Language classes often full with long waiting lists No specific definition of public: different types of migrants involved Different approaches/visions in different organisations (employment-oriented or not, etc.) Various levels of professionalisation

All about to change for NM!!05/07/2013 Decree

Still waiting for implementation order

+Towards a New migrants reception programme for french-speaking Brussels

Municipality

• Registration• Information

about the programmes

• Addresses of ‘BAPA’ + Bon

BAPA – Primary component

• Welcome• Social

assessment• Language

assessment• Rights and

duties information session

BAPA & others- Secondary component

• Language courses

• Citizenship classes

• Employment advice

• General support

Certificate Certificate

+

From the field (NGOs) : positive aspects...at first glance !

Hopes for a specific policy for NM for a long time:

Recognition of the existing expertise

No longer approaching children of immigrants as if they were new migrants (and vice versa)

Meeting specific needs

Increase of their financial means (??)

Towards a New migrants reception programme for french-speaking Brussels

BUT : no consensus about the relevance of the intention, and, least of all, about its implementation

+

From the field: also fears / concerns enhanced by:

a european context of border reinforcment and suspicision towards migrants (Pacte européen sur l’immigration et l’asile (10/2008)

a tense national context regarding migration and integration issues (hardening of immigration and citizenship policies, etc.)

a national context characterised by ‘activation-based’ social policies, excluding many from certain welfare rights such as unemployment benefits

local context characterised by a Flemish-French speaking competition in various fields (?)

unfavourable media cover of migration and integration issues

Towards a New migrants reception programme for french-speaking Brussels

+

From the field: fears / concerns about:

Own institutional stability (financial means, etc.)

Their usual beneficiaries vs other beneficiaries

Irrespective of the content : control, obligation, instrumentalisation by the fed. Gov.? (Citizenship policy)

Content related : what are we trying to do ? Assimilation vs Multiculturalism?

Towards a New migrants reception programme for french-speaking Brussels