Programme for the 2014 High-Level Policy Forum on Migration

Monday 1 December 2014

OPENING REMARKS

Mr. Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General

, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)

SESSION 1. RECONCILING SHORT AND LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES IN MIGRATION POLICIES

Chair

Ms. Frances Fitzgerald T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality (Ireland)

Introductory remarks

Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship (EC)

The Hon Mr. Michael Woodhouse, Minister of Immigration (New Zealand)

Mr. Thorben Albrecht, Permanent State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Germany)

The Hon Ms. Michaelia Cash, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (Australia) by video conference

Mr. Leon Rodriguez, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (United States)

Mr. László Modori, Deputy State Secretary for Labour Market (Hungary)

Written statement

Polish contribution, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (Poland)

Questions for discussion

What are the most salient changes made to your immigration system recently? How did you balance short-term constraints with longer-term objectives?
How can long-term objectives be identified in the light of increasing uncertainty?
How can migration policy respond flexibly to economic and geopolitical shocks?
To which extent, and under which conditions, can mobility of labour within free-mobility areas foster economic convergence?

WORKING LUNCH: MIGRATION AND TRADE IN THE ERA OF THE SERVICE ECONMY

For Heads of Delegations to the Forum only, hosted by the Secretary-General of the OECD, Mr. Angel Gurría

Keynote speech Mr.Pascal Lamy (former Director-General of the World Trade Organisation)

Questions for discussion

What are the expected future trends regarding the international mobility of workers in the service sector?
What are possible implications in terms of labour migration management?
To what extent are trade in services and mobility of workers substitutes?
How can international cooperation in this area be strengthened?

SESSION 2. BUILDING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN MIGRATION ISSUES

Chair

The Hon Mr. Michael Woodhouse, Minister of Immigration (New Zealand)

Introductory remarks

Mr. Argyris Ntinopoulos, Minister of Interior (Greece)

Ms. Solveig Horne, Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion (Norway)

Mr. Kurt Rohner, State Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Police, Deputy Director of the Federal Migration Office (Switzerland)

Mr. Andrej Špenga, State Secretary, Ministry of Interior (Slovenia)

Mr. Osman Güneş, Deputy Minister of Interior (Turkey)

Mr. Bernard Cazeneuve, Minister of Interior (France)

Questions for discussion

What are the measures you are taking to reinforce public confidence in migration policies?
From your perspective, what can be the role of the various stakeholders (media, migrants’ associations, social partners, etc.) in this process?
If you have implemented significant reforms regarding migration management or integration, or you plan to do so, how did you ensure public support?

SESSION 3. ENGAGING WITH EMPLOYERS AND UNIONS

Chair

Mr. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)

Introductory remarks

Ms. Renate Hornung-Draus, Managing Director, Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, Germany (BIAC)

Ms. Sharon Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (TUAC)

Mr. Alfonso Navarrete Prida, Minister of Labour and Social Prevision (Mexico)

Mr. Nicolas Schmit, Minister of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy (Luxembourg)

Mr. Manoel Dias, Minister of Labour and Employment (Brazil)

Mr. Dahlberg Hauge, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Norway)

Ms. Sandra Polaski, Deputy Director-General for Policy (ILO)

Questions for discussion

How to identify and respond to employers’ skill needs?
How to ensure the enforcement of labour legislation and limit the risk of abuse?
How to avoid that migration induces wage and social dumping?
What are the best practices for encouraging diversity in the workplace?
How to promote social dialogue in the field of migration?

Tuesday 2 December 2014

KEYNOTE SPEECH BY MR. PETER SUTHERLAND, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION

Chair

Mr. Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General

Comments by

Ms. Andrea Nahles, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs (Germany)

SESSION 4. CONSIDERING THE ROLE OF MIGRATION AND MIGRANTS IN SKILLS STRATEGIES

Parallel Session A. Attracting, selecting and retaining skills: What role for migration policies?

Chair

Mr. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)

Introductory remarks

Ms. Frances Fitzgerald T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality (Ireland)

The Hon Mr. Michael Woodhouse, Minister of Immigration (New Zealand)

Mr. Manoel Dias, Minister of Labour and Employment (Brazil)

Mr. Pedro Lomba, State Secretary of Regional Development in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister (Portugal)

Ms. Päivi Nerg, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior (Finland)

Mr. Leif Kalev, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior (Estonia)

Further participants

Mr. Andrej Špenga, State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior (Slovenia)

Mr. Paulo Sérgio de Almeida, Secretary of Labour Inspection (MTE) and chairman of the National Immigration Council (Brazil)

Mr. Kurt Rohner, State Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Police, Deputy Director of the Federal Migration Office (Switzerland)

Mr. László Modori, Deputy State Secretary for Labour Market (Hungary)

Mr. Luc Derepas, General Secretary for Foreigners in France at the Ministry of Interior (France)

Mr. Kestutis Bucinskas, Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Lithuanian Ministry of Interior (Lithuania)

Mr. Stefan Kapferer, Deputy Secretary-General (OECD)

Questions for discussion

What are the specific actions your country is taking to improve attractiveness and retention of skilled migrants, international students or foreign investors?
Should the skills of accompanying spouses / children be an element to consider in assessing the applications of principal applicants?
How can governments facilitate international mobility and at the same time address the issues of brain drain / brain gain?

Parallel Session B. Making better use of existing skills: How to strike the balance between specific and general programmes?

Chair

Ms. Andrea Nahles, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs (Germany)

Introductory remarks

Ms. Irene Wennemo, State Secretary, Ministry of Employment (Sweden)

Ms. Marina del Corral Téllez, Secretary General of Immigration and Emigration (Spain)

Mr. Georg Fischer, Director for Analysis, Evaluation, External Relations in DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EC)

Further participants

Mr. Alfonso Navarrete Prida, Minister of Labour and Social Prevision (Mexico)

Mr. Dahlberg Hauge, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Norway)

Mr. Tomoaki Katsuda, Vice Director-General of the Employment Security Bureau at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)

Mr. Néstor Orduz Cárdenas, Deputy Director-General for Foreigners Affairs from the Colombian Migration Service (Colombia)

Mr. Stefano Scarpetta, Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (OECD)

Questions for discussion

What are the main impediments for a better use of the skills of resident migrants and newcomers and how can these impediments be overcome?
What can be done to remedy the under-representation of immigrants and their offspring in effective general policies, both from the side of immigrants and of service-providers and employers?
How can specific policies be evaluated and their cost-effectiveness enhanced?

Parallel Session C. Developing skills: How to promote language skills development and successful integration of immigrants’ children into the school system?

Chair

Mr. Francis Cissna, Director for Immigration Policy, Department of Homeland Security and Chair of the OECD Working Party on Migration

Introductory remarks

Mr. Argyris Ntinopoulos, Minister of Interior (Greece)

Ms. Ieva Jaunzeme, State Secretary, Ministry of Welfare (Latvia)

Mr. Natale Forlani, Director General for Immigration and Integration Policies at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies (Italy)

Mr. Woo-ho Kim, Director General, Ministry of Justice (Korea)

Mr. Christian Operschall, Deputy Director General for Labour Market Policy at the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection (Austria)

Mr. Vladimir (Ze’ev) Khanin, Chief Scientist, Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption (Israel)

Mr. Ovais Sarmad, Chief of Staff (IOM)

Further participants

Mr. Osman Güneş, Deputy Minister of Interior (Turkey)

Mr. Mark Pearson, Deputy-Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (OECD)

Questions for discussion

Should immigrants be trained (whether pre- or post-arrival) for jobs that exhibit a lack of suitable applicants?
Should all migrants get access to the full education/training package? And if not, according to which criteria should access be granted?
How best to involve non-labour migrant groups such as family migrants and refugees in skills strategies and up-skilling policies?
What works best in the integration of children in the education system?

Parallel Session D. Providing equal opportunities: What works in the integration of youth with a migration background?

Chair

Mr. Pierre-Paul Maeter, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Federal Public Service - Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue (Belgium)

Introductory remarks

Ms. Solveig Horne, Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion (Norway)

Mr. Domenico Manzione, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Interior (Italy)

, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs (Slovenia)

Mr. Juan Eduardo Faúndez, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development (Chile)

Ms. Huan Wang, Deputy Division Chief, General Office of Services and Management for Migrant Population Department, NHFPC (China)

Further participants

Ms. Mette Johansen, Chief Legal Advisor, Ministry of Justice (Denmark)

Mr. Jacky McKay, Deputy Director-General of Immigration Services, Department of Home Affairs (South Africa)

Ms. Michelle Leighton, Chief of the Labour Migration Branch (ILO)

Mr. Jean-Christophe Dumont, Head of International Migration Division (OECD)

Questions for discussion

What are the specific challenges faced by youth with a migration background in your country?
How can the problems of specific groups - such as youth arriving at the end of mandatory schooling and of school drop-outs - be tackled best?
How can governments ensure that these youth fully participate in the host-country society?
What can policy makers do to reduce the risk of discrimination in the labour market?

REPORT FROM THE PARALLEL SESSIONS BY THE CHAIRS

CONCLUSIONS OF THE CHAIR OF THE FORUM

, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)