Migrant Integration Policy Index

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The Migrant Integration Policy Index ( MIPEX for short ) is a country index and the associated study that evaluates the integration policy for migrants in all EU countries and three other non-EU countries on the basis of fixed criteria.

The study was carried out jointly by 25 organizations, including the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation , under the leadership of the British Council . It is co-financed with funds from the EU- INTI program for the integration of non-EU nationals and was published for the first time in 2004. It is usually updated every four years. The MIPEX III study from 2011 is complete. The complete results of MIPEX-IV should be available on June 30, 2015.

criteria

MIPEX currently records indicators from the following fields:

Country ranking

In 2011, Sweden was the only European country to be awarded the title “cheap”. There are excellent opportunities for migrants to access the labor market, and they received the “ best practice ” award . At that time Germany was ranked 12th overall.

While Austria was ranked 20th by MIPEX and Switzerland ranked 21st in 2015, Germany ranked 10th. This was the first time that Germany made it into the top 10 of the MIPEX. Germany achieved relatively good results in 2015 in the areas of “access to (German) citizenship” (3/38) and “labor market mobility” (4/38). Germany is still rated relatively poorly in the areas of “family reunification” (24/38), “health” (22/38), “fight against discrimination” (22/38), “permanent residence” (19/38) and “education” “(16/38).

criticism

The study's methodology is controversial among leading migration and integration experts. In particular, the definition of the ideal cases, called “ best practice ” in the study , is criticized. Because there are not actually binding legal requirements for all categories, there is a certain element of arbitrariness in the definition. In addition, the study only shows the legal status, but not the realities of life of the immigrants. It measures the quality of the framework conditions in a country that can promote the potential integration of an immigrant into a country. The status of actual integration, which can be measured using other indicators (marriage behavior, labor force participation, average income, etc.) is not recorded. In addition, the policies and legal frameworks between countries are only comparable to a limited extent, as these are the result of different welfare models and different migration histories. According to many experts, a “ naming, blaming and shaming ” of states with such different histories on the basis of the rankings represents a gross reduction of complex circumstances and is scientifically unfair.

Another type of criticism is voiced in Switzerland: “Rankings are unfair because the authors have great freedom in selecting and weighting the indicators. They also determine what is positive and what is negative. ”Much of what the MIPEX executives rate as“ failure ”is fully intended by politicians and / or the majority of the population in the criticized states. How to rate z. For example, in Switzerland, short deadlines for naturalization or a permanent residence permit for foreigners, unlike MIPEX, are not necessarily positive.

The political scientist Ruud Koopmans criticizes the fact that the index does not reflect actual integration results at all and is thus "an example of absolutely fact-free policy advice". The index is based on the unchecked assumption that a good integration policy should not place any demands on immigrants at all. For example, there are negative points if naturalization is made dependent on the ability to earn an income without social assistance. If unemployment among immigrants is particularly high, however, there are no minus points. Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands are among the countries which, according to the index, have quite “good” integration policies. Indeed, these countries do worst when it comes to integrating immigrants into the labor market. In contrast, countries like Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which landed in the lower ranks of the index, achieved comparatively good labor market integration.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Center for International Affairs Barcelona / Migration Policy Group / European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals: Austria
  2. ↑ Center for International Affairs Barcelona / Migration Policy Group / European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals: Switzerland
  3. ↑ Center for International Affairs Barcelona / Migration Policy Group / European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals: Germany
  4. ↑ German education system inhibits the integration world online, February 28, 2011, accessed on July 7, 2012
  5. ↑ Sweden highest ranking in study on integration policy in-sweden.net, accessed on July 7, 2012
  6. ↑ Simon Gemperli: Country Ranking: Sore Points in the Integration of Foreigners . Neue Zürcher Zeitung . June 12, 2015
  7. ↑ FAZ, guest article Ruud Koopmans, “Multikulti has failed” , June 14, 2017