According to the Immigrant Citizens Survey (Huddleston and Dag Tjaden, 2012), most migrants want to settle and become more rooted in the society they moved to. Between 80 and 95 per cent are or want to be long-term residents and, on average, people apply for permanent visas not long after the minimum period established.

Migrants who find opportunities to engage in the labour market, institutions and social and cultural life often settle more permanently. They may develop a sense of identification with the country, acquire nationality and root their family in their new home. Policies ensuring that migrants’ rights are respected and providing them with opportunities for inclusion and participation in society have a profound impact on the readiness and capacity of migrants and their descendants to invest in their own integration.

Social and political participation

For their sociocultural integration, migrants often rely on networks that had been previously established by family members or friends already living in the new country (Bevelander and Pendakur, 2009). Already settled migrants use social capital they have amassed in the new community to help new arrivals find accommodations and jobs, enrol their children in schools, obtain needed documentation, and so forth. These social networks importantly reduce the psychological barriers to long-distance migration as they provide emotional support in the new location. They gain especially important roles when migrants do not master the language. Faith-based groups can become important sources of support when the religious and cultural practices of the country of origin are very different from those of the new society.

Although migrants may find a balanced way of living out the values of both cultures, they are sometimes accused of withdrawing into their ethnic bubble (Cantle, 2001) and of living “parallel lives” within the society of the destination country. Establishing connections beyond their networks is not always easy, especially when family duties occupy much of the migrant’s time (Favell, 2008). Policies that are sensitive to such dynamics, that support civil society initiatives to ground migrants in their communities, and that eliminate barriers to participation are therefore important (OECD, 2017).

Example
Neighbourhood Mothers initiative in Denmark

The Neighbourhood Mothers organization connects women who have a minority ethnic background. The Neighbourhood Mothers are migrant women who volunteer to help fellow migrant women who are isolated or vulnerable. They provide information, emotional support, and even skills training. The volunteers often undergo themselves “train the trainers” workshops to learn specific information they can pass on to their peers, such as tools to communicate with the government digitally (as a result of a partnership between Neighbourhood Mothers and the Danish Agency for Digitisation). The organization operates at a national level and provides support for establishing local networks of Neighbourhood Mothers, including by providing a training manual to prepare interested women to become volunteers.

Source

Bydelsmødre (Neighbourhood Mothers), n.d.

Any policies concerning migrants, and especially those focused on involving them in public life, benefit from engaging the migrants themselves in decision-making processes. To best integrate migrants and build cohesive societies, it is important to create the conditions for their involvement in the construction of public life and in the development of the country.

In terms of participating in political life, migrants are usually only allowed to vote in local elections, provided they have permanent residency. If national legislation allows them, they may fully engage and even stand for office. In any case, migration policies will benefit from considering the perspectives of migrants themselves.

Example
iCount project in Finland

To strengthen migrants’ participation in the political process in Finland, the iCount project Uskalla vaikuttaa! (‘Make an impact!’) of the Multicultural Associations network aims to improve dialogue between immigrants, authorities and political parties. It also aims to increase migrants’ knowledge of the political system so as to strengthen their participation in the decision-making process. The project is funded by the European Union’s integration fund. It was launched during the municipal elections of 2012 to inform third-country nationals about voting rights and the importance of voting. It did so by distributing campaign material, organizing panel discussions, training volunteers and sharing information in schools, church gatherings and other social events.

Source

European Commission, n.d.

Policy Approaches
Promoting migrants’ social, civic and political participation

Work with local authorities and design approaches also at the national level to:

  • Facilitate the participation of migrants in mainstream organizations and entities such as parents’ associations, trade unions, trade associations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
  • Eliminate barriers that prevent participation;
  • Develop tools to engage hard-to-reach groups, such as migrant youth or women;
  • Encourage migrants’ participation in organizations and initiatives designed to help them settle;
  • Support the creation of migrants’ associations and initiatives;
  • Promote initiatives focused on intercultural and interreligious dialogue, and highlight shared values such as solidarity;
  • Invite migrants’ participation in decision-making processes, especially those related to migration policies, such as consultative bodies, forums, committees;
  • Consider allowing migrants to vote and participate further in political life.
The pathway to citizenship (naturalization)

Although not all countries have policies on migration, they all have policies establishing how nationality can be acquired. The legislative path for foreigners to become nationals can include birth, descent, naturalization and, in some countries, investment (Bauloz, Vathi and Acosta, 2019) (read more on the acquisition of nationality and the right to nationality by birth in Specific rights relevant in the migration context in Human rights of migrants: An overview). The naturalization process typically follows criteria regarding the length of residence and knowledge of the country’s language and history, but varies from country to country.

The need to integrate long-term migrants has led most countries to amend their citizenship laws, promoting a more liberal approach (for example, lowering residence requirements and accepting dual citizenship) or a more restrictive one (introducing integration clauses and citizenship tests, raising the minimum residency). Citizenship is associated with better integration outcomes: it helps immigrants feel more settled, get better jobs, have greater social mobility, achieve higher educational level and become involved (Bauloz, Vathi and Acosta, 2019). Yet concerns about immigrants’ integration, allegiance and belonging underpin the more conservative approaches. These policies influence migrants’ willingness to apply for naturalization, especially if they are required to relinquish the nationality of their country of origin.

Example
Initiatives supporting and encouraging naturalization

The United States of America has a number of initiatives to support, encourage and celebrate naturalization:

Policy Approaches
Supporting and encouraging naturalization
  • Encourage eligible migrants to apply for naturalization, for instance by conducting outreach campaigns and sharing stories of successful naturalized migrants.
  • Keep the requirements for naturalization within reasonable standards, for instance in terms of the minimum required period of residence and fees.
  • Consider accepting dual nationality.

Although naturalization has been understood as the end of the integration process for a long time, this idea is now questioned. Citizenship may be used as an indicator of inclusion and considered a milestone in the integration process. However, it does not mean the integration process is over or that challenges disappear. Integration is, precisely, an ongoing process. Although naturalized migrants enjoy the same rights and opportunities as nationals, they may often continue to battle discrimination due to aspects such as skin colour, accent or religious preference (read more in Anti-discrimination measures, below).

To Go Further
Key messages
  • Active participation in public life is a crucial step for the inclusion of migrants and their descendants. Promoting the equitable participation of migrants in society facilitates their contribution to social cohesion.
  • Nationality and citizenship can be acquired through various channels such as birth, descent, investment and naturalization. They can provide migrants with equal rights and opportunities as nationals in various spheres, with benefits for migrants’ inclusion and social cohesion.
  • Naturalization should not be understood as the final step of the integration process. Although naturalization enables better integration outcomes, it does not necessarily end the discrimination faced by migrants, for instance due to their skin colour or accent.
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