Experience with past immigration
Experience with past immigration waves (Jean et al., 2007) shows that immigration
reinforces the need for policies which keep labour markets and product markets open to
entry.
Less restrictive entry regulation in some services, notably the crafts, would raise the
economic benefits of immigration and steps to facilitate firm creation, for example by
improving access of all self-employed to low-cost public health insurance, would also help
(OECD/European Union, 2013; OECD, 2014a). The share of immigrants in public sector jobs
is low. Public employment could be opened further to non-EU nationals.
Improvements in the education system help to integrate all children of families,
including immigrant children (OECD, 2015g). Support for students with weak socio-economic
background in education needs to be raised (OECD, 2014a). Refugee children and youth
should be included quickly within the regular compulsory education system to avoid
segregation and the standard curriculum should be supplemented with German language
training.
Families with weak socio-economic status and immigration background should be
encouraged to make use of formal childcare and early childhood education for their young
children, including with financial support (OECD, 2014e; OECD, 2015g).
EU Forecast
euf:ba18a:52/nws-01