Statistical Immigration Dossier 2001
11TH CARITAS REPORT ON
IMMIGRATION
Immigration as an expression of a world in
which people do not want to be excluded from the
process of globalization; immigration as the coexistence of people coming from different nations not only to obtain something but also to
offer their resources ;
immigration as an incentive favouring dialogue between cultures and
regions, to combat racism and favour peace, these are some of the insights provided by the "11th Caritas Report on
immigration".
The slogan " the era of integration" refers to
the fact that Italy has become a country of permanent immigration and
underlines the need of a policy aimed at promoting
a peaceful coexistence
based on reciprocal respect.
285
statistical tables included in the "Immigration Statistical Dossier
2001" with their respective introductions approach the issue of
immigration without prejudice nor
superficiality, a phenomenon
which will increasingly accompany our history and thus warrants great attention.
1. Italian emigration: past and present
The phenomenon of immigration , which has by now become one of the most
signficant trends of the "globalized" world, is rooted in the two
preceeding centuries when Italy was still primarily a country of strong
emigration. From Northern and Central Italy migration flows were mainly
directed towards Latin America, from the southern italian regions these flows were directed to Europe and the
United States. Today, instead, the largest settlement countries for Italian
citizens abroad are Germany with 700.000 people, Argentina and Switzerland with
600.000 , France with 400.000,
Belgium with 300.000 and United States with 200.000. An other group of countries host over 100.000 italians: Great Britain, Venezuela, Canada
and Australia. On average ,
families are composed of two members, mainly elderly people.
Out of every 100 italians who remain in the
country there are an other seven
who reside abroad (a total of 4 million) ,mostly they are from Northern and
Central Italy. In the South and in
some other regions( Friuli Venezia Giulia) italians are over 10% of those who have remained in
the country, while in Molise italians abroad constitute one fourth of the total
population. There are many provinces
(Palermo, Bari, Avellino, Lecce, Napoli) from which 100.000 or more italians
have expatriated. This is also the case of Milan and Rome.
Italian emigration has never ceased. During 1986-1997 529.000 italians have expatriated and 509.000 have repatriated. At
the present time expatriates
(35.000 annually, mainly directed towards Europe) slightly outnumber
repatriates (30.000), as where immigration flows have acquired greater
importance.
Area of origin of italians in the world
(october 2001)
Area of origin
current presence % presence populationin Italy
emigrants per 100 inhabitants
north
centre
south
islands
italy
source : data processed by Caritas Statistical Immigration Dossier
2.The current migratory scenario:
The current migratory
scenario is very different from that of the past, as the
historical phase characterized by colonial rule and the international order
divided into two political blocs
has come to an end, the gap between developed and underdeveloped nations
has increased, thus it would certainly be astonishing if migratory flows, all
in all limited with respect to the existing migratory pressure, did not
occur.
In the month of july 2000 the world population is 6 billion and 80 million inhabitants. Africa's
population is growing at a particularly higher rate (3.2%) twice as much as the world average. Within the group of Advanced Developed
Countries (860 million people )
the European Union, with 378 million inhabitants and 6.2% of the world's
population , is a demographically stable area (0.6% increase).
85,6% of the world's population live in developing countries
( five billion and 200 million people), countries possess 45% of the world's wealth: their annual per capita income is of 3.500 dollars in comparison to
25.600 dollars in rich countries.
Moreover, these
average values hide
situations of sharper inequalities: In the Indian Subcontinent ( one billion and 357
million people) have a daily average income of 1.8 dollars per capita and in
SubSahara Africa ( 661 million
people) have a daily average
income of 1.5 dollars per capita).
In comparison to Italy,where 13,1% of the population lives under the poverty line, the
situation in emigration countries is more disturbing. In Peru, half the population lives beneath the poverty line
, while in other countries( such as Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria,
Pakistan), one third of the population
lives under the poverty
line.
Furthermore, notwithstanding that
committment to the
promotion of development remains an important goal, it can
not miraculously resolve the
problem. Increasing levels of investment could create new jobs, but the latter
would be insufficient: demographers
believe that between 2000 and 2020 there will be 50 million more people between 20 and
40 years of age in Northern Africa and 120 million more in Subsaharan Africa. In a globalized world where goods,capital
and information circulate , migratory flows can only increase.
Population and income in the world (2000)
Continental area population 5 population % income per capita income
EUROPE
European Union
AFRICA
Africa Subsahar.
Asia
Indian subcont.
America
Latin America
Oceancia
Total
ADC
DC
ADC = Advanced Developed
Countries
DC Developing countries
3.European Migratory Pole
The following are fundamental
aspects of today's migrations: the
strong
demographic and occupational impact of
immigrants; the diversification of
the countries of origin (polycentrism); the increase of family reunions; the growing phenomenon of illegal migration that finds no outlets through official channels.
The two main migratory poles are the United States ( 10
foreign born for every 100
residents) and the European Union
( five immigrants every 100 residents), the total immigrant population is
respectively 26 and 20 million.
These two migratroy poles continue to exert a fundamental role in
attracting immigration: In the USA
there were over 600 thousand entries in 1998 and in the European Union a
little less than one million and a half ,although for the most part on a temporary basis.
Italy does not play a minor
role in this new scenario,
together with other Meditteranean countries, yet this
nation simbolizes a real watershed that divides countries with
strong migratory pressure. Italy
is one of the four member states that has exceeded one million foreign
residents ( along with Great Britain, France and Germany); the latter with over
7 million immigrants. Nonetheless in the European Union
there is an average of 5 immigrants for every 100 residents, while the percentage in Italy is only of 2.9%.
There is only one immigrant out of every 35 people, in France one out of 15, in
Germany , Austria and Belgium one out of every 10 people.
Equally important is Italy's role as far as new entries for
permanent immigrations are concerned: such entries (including both work and family reunion permits) have exceeded in the last years over 100
thousand units, surpassing
even France. In the decade
1989 -1998, immediately after Germany, where immigrants increased by two
million and 800 units, follows
Italy with an increase of 600.000
units , followed by Austria, Great Britain and Spain with an increase of 300
thousand.
The European Union is also an important
destination for asylum
seekers (in the year 2000, 495.000 requests were presented, five times as much
as those presented in the United States). Thus, there is a strong
need to adopt reception policies in favour of
this specific category of immigrants.
After a long period of
inattentiveness, based on the
slogan " Zero
immigration growth", the European Union has initiated a phase of reconsideration which
the Commission based on the following guide-lines
adopted by the European
Commission: partnership with the countries of origin; integration and equal
treatment with the possibility of attributing civil citinzenship rights as forseen by the the "Bill of Rights"of Nice, in order to favour social cohesion; management of
migration flows . Initially temporary , these flows should become permanent ,
according to a global viewpoint,coordinated at EU level with specific
responsibilities at the national level.
At the beginning of this new century , we are witnessing the
process of enlargement of European
Union membership.to the first group of Eastern European countries ( Poland,
Cecoslavachia, Hungary, Estonia , Slovenia). The European population has not been adequately informed about this great
opportunitity and have expressed their fears regarding the distribution of social
funds, emploment, security and the
protection of their own culture.
It would nonetheless be
wrong to forsee any kind of
invasion: the inflows originating
from eastern countries will be around 150.000 workers a year. At the moment, the presence of
immigrants from the PECO (Central
Eastern European Countries )in the Union is 900.000people, over half are
concentrated in Germany, the next largest
concentration is in Italy ( 80.000).The largest national groups are
Polish ( 400.000) and Rumanian ( 165.000).
Immigration in the world
(1998)
Areas immirants %on total population
new entries X
per inhabitants residents
4. Immigration is not only
legal
Immigration is also
composed by a certain fraction of illegal presences
,as occurs in the whole world.
Rigorous controls
implemented on the borders between United States and Mexico, in the
tunnel that crosses the
English Channel and in the Straits of Gibraltar may render more difficult these migration flows
yet they cannot stop these flows often triggered by desperately poor living conditions. The
Italian case is frequently quoted in both the national and international press
as a unique case, but in fact the problem in the United States of America is much greater , not only due to
the number of illegal presences ( almost 11 million according
to the last census) but also due to the
percentual incidence over
the total population.In fact, before the september 11th terrorist
attacks, President Bush had declared his intention to launch a regularization amnesty for 3 million people.
It is difficult to
quantify current illegal immigrant population currently in Italy due to
the fact that since 1998 ,no official estimate has been provided . The most cautious calculation is around 200 - 300.ooo
people.
In this
occasion it is more useful to furnish data supporting a possible estimate In the year 2000, 42.000 foreign
citizens were rejected at the borders, 23.836 had
been expelled by the authorities , and an other 64.734 were ordered to leave the country (
intimati di espulsione). The most sensitive areas are the coastlines in Puglia and the italo -slovene frontier. In the
former, 30% originate from Albania,followed by
immigrants from Iran, Iraq and Turkey (mostly victims of political persecution). While on the italo- slovene costline and hinterland Eastern European citizens
are followed by those originating from different regions of the world.
During the period 1998-2000,
149.344 foreign citizens had recieved orders to leave the country ,some went to other European countries
and an others repatriated on a
volontary basis or was obliged to do so ( in particular, as in the case of readmision agreements ) , while
others remained within italian
territory unlawfully. The
readmission agreements had been stipulated with 23 countries of the Eastern
European , Balkan, North African
regions and at the moment are
being extended to Subsahara
Africa and Indian Subcontinent.
The so called "Centres
of temporary stay"
are those structures that aim to ascertain the identity of those people
that have not been authorized to remain in the country, and are
subsequentially repatriated : in
the year 2000 the "requests" totalled 9000 yet only in one third of these cases
were the provisions effective.
Out of the total amount of people who applied
for regularization in 1998,
34.000 are still
waiting for the results of
their application. It is therefore necessary to
resolve positively this problem ,
scholars have underlined that in comparison to preceding experiences this last
provision has proved more efective in favoring the integration in the labour
market.
Migratory pressure in Italy
(2000)
Rejections
By the head of the Police administration
At the boarders
Expulsions
Escorted to the frontiers
Judicial authority orders
Readmission agreements
Eviction orders
Total number of people
involved
People actually sent away
% people averted
Source: Ministery of Labour
data, processed by Caritas Statistical Immigration Dossier
New arrivals in Italy
When the issue of new
migration flows is brought up, attention is frequently monopolized by illegal
inflows, the risk is to confuse
the part for the whole and to
forget the ever more
intense movements that are developing legally.
In the year 2000
diplomatic and consular
offices issued a total of 1.008.000 visas, a
higher number than the preceding year (2000 was the year of the great
Giubilee) yet less than half the number of visas granted by Germany and by
France. 60% of thse visas had been issued to Eastern European citizens, that
came mostly for turism or for business. 44.5 million
foreign tourism
arrived in the year 2000, the majority did not need a visa since they
remained only for a few days in Italy or they came from countries that are not
obliged to require visas. In Italy
as well , part of the visa holders
remained after the visa's expiry date , increasing in this way , the population
of illegal immigration ( the so called "overstayers").
According to ISTAT's recent
estimate, one can forsee an annual increase of 110.000 new immigrants per year,
in 2010 they will comprise have an impact of over 4% of the total population.
In the following decades, the
italian population will begin to
diminish and the adult population
up to 44 years of age will
decrease as well , causing a number of social security problems. Immigration
can mitigate but not resolve these
problems; much greater quotas would be necessary to mantain the present balance
between active and senior population. Nonetheless the
trends that have emerged in the last few years lead us
to think that the foreign
population could grow at even greater rates become even more consistent.
Permanent stay permits issued to
new entries have overcome
100.000 units in 1991, 150.000 in
1997 and up to 155.264 in the year 2000, the highest values reached in the '90s.
Out of every 100 immigrants
already present, 12 more entries arrived in the year 2000, in
particular in the North Eastern region ( due to the job opportunities) and in
the South ( a landingplace for asylum seekers). In comparison to the
resident population ,there was one new arrival for every 400 people.The
provinces with a greater number of
new entries are : Rome 21.000,
Milan 16.000, Florence 6000, Turin and Vicenza with 4000 each.
The principal motives of arrival ( seven out of ten)
are for family reunion
( 56.214)work or in search for employment ( 53.934). Half are European. While Albania, Marocco, Romania
are the countries of origin
of 10.000 new sojourners
(immigrants),while 4 and 5000 are
from China, the
Philippines, Germany, India and Poland have 4/5.000.
Men predominate slightly (
53,6%) and in two thirds of the
cases they come for work reasons.
Women come both for work (
40%) and for family reunion
(35%).and women also prevale among
those present for religious reasons
or study .
New entries of immigrants in
Italy valid until the end of the
2000
Continent number % on the Total
continent number % on total
The immigrant population in Italy
The number of Foreign citizens
holding stay permits until 31st of december
2000 was 1.388.153 : in
comparison to the preceding year
there was an increase of 137.000 units ( +10,9%). Taking into account
the fact that over 200.000 minors
do not possess stay permits
on a personal basis and
probably nearly
100.000 new or renewed permits have been
registered with delay, it is
reasonable to
estimate that the legal immigrant population is 1.687.000 (thus increasing registered permits by 21.5%).
For every 100
women there are 118 men: their respective percentages are 45,8% and
54,2%. Only in two regions ( Umbria e Molise) women are slightly more numerous than men, whereas in Rome this numerical superiority was lost notwithstanding the important
presence of Philippine workers.
Gender distribution varies greatly according to the country of origin:
among the most important groups one can mention, as extreme cases immigrants
from North Africa ( 74% male), Cuba and Capoverde (over 80% female), while in the Philippine comunity
the percent of women fell by 66%, following family reunion of children and
husbands.
62% of the total immigrant
population is concentrated in the age range of 25 to 49 years of age (compared to 36.6% of italians). Foreign minors (278.000 and 19%of
residents) as well have exceeded the percent of italian minors . The population originating from the
European community is the oldest, one fifth 152.000 people are over 60 years of age.
There is as well a continuos increase
of married people (676.000, that is 150.000 more than singles). Only one fourth (175.000)have children: this indicates a few of the difficulties involved in family reunions. In 1998 candidates applying for regolarizations were over
6000 composed of married couples and children ,and these people did in
fact find difficulties following
normal channels.......
The countries
of origin differ only slightly: Europe 40.1%,
Africa 27,8 % Asia 20,0%, America 11,9% Oceania 0.2%.
According to subcontinental
areas , the main national groups are:
Eastern Europe: Albania 142.000,
Romania 69.000, Jugoslavia 40.000;
North Africa: Marocco 160.000,
Tunis 45.000;
Far East: Philippines 65.000, France 26.000;
Indian Subcontinent: Sri
Lanka 34.000, India 30,000
America: United States 47.000,
Perú 30.000.
During the 1990s the percentage of work permits levelled around 60%,while family stay
permits have continuously increased and have exceeded 25%.
It is possible to divide the different national groups into different types according
to the proportion of two kinds of permits within these groups:
- immigration
exclusively for work reasons:
Senegal, work (94%9 ) family (5%)
- immigration mainly
for work reasons while family reunification is below the medium (Philippines work 81%, family 11%)
- well distributed immigration between the two groups
(Marocco, Work 70% and family 27%,
Albania work 63% and family
30%
- very strong family
reasons: (United States, work 20%
( males come mainly for military reasons) and family ( 60%).
New entries of immigrants
in Italy valid until the end of the year (2000)
Continent
European Union
Eastern Europe
Other European countries
TOTAL EUROPE
Northern Africa
Central east Africa
Western Africa
Center Mediterranean Africa
Total Africa
Far East
From Residence to citizenship: not an easy
path
At the end of
the year 2000 there was a
total of 1.464.589 foreign citizens
enrolled in the General Registry Office , including minors, a number
which exceeded the registered visa holders (1.388.153), but was inferior to the real estimate (1.687.000), where arrivals
for temporary reasons were taken
into account ( about 200.000).
Comparing visa
holders with residents, North
Africa, in particular Marocco,
emerges as the area that
has the strongest tendency towards
permanent settlement.
In comparison to Italians (30%) ,immigrants reveal a
marked tendency (47%) to live in
town capitals, a tendency that gradually decreases as they spread out further in the regional territory. In comparison to their respective
provinces, numerous are the
regional capitals where a
high proportion of immigrants are
concentrated: Turin 69%, Milan
68%, Genova 81% , Rome 82% , Palermo 84%. .
One fourth of
the total immigrant population
live in towns with up to 10.000 inhabitants, another fourth in towns between 10 and 50.000 inhabitants, less than one tenth in cities between
10 and 250.000 inhabitants, and one third in cities with over 250.000
inhabitants: on the whole.
These data testifies the urban character of the immigration phenomenon .
Half of the immigrants
have been in Italy for over five years and one fifth for over 10
years, this confirms that Italy's leading role in the
migratory scene has developed during the 90s.
Yet citizenship does not
go side by side with length of residence : in 2000 the
cases of naturalization acquisition of italian citizenship were 9.545., while they were over 12.000 units in 1998.
The rate of naturalization thus is
three times less than the
European average. Furthermore the
easiest access to citizenship is through marriage with italian citizens ( 80%
of the cases) these marriages are
mostly beween European and
Americans.
In 1997 ( the last year for
which data are available) , there were 13.184 mixed marriages
. Mostly ( 4 out of 5) were Italian citizens that married immigrants: italian males show this tendency three times more than
women.
This decision is not always made in
favour of Italian society and culture:
marriages stipulated for convenience is only an expedient to obtain citizenship. Furthermore, as
far as religion is concerned for religious reasons agreement among partners is not always easy.
In this context new
possibilities for widening participation are being opened by activities of
immigrants' association, up until now, this was scarcely facilitated. CNEL has identified 893 immigrant
associations, yet these constitute only a part of the existing
structures whose
identification
becomes difficult due to
the associations frequent changes
of address. 40.9% of these associations operate in
regional capitals, and 35.4% in provincial capitals, that is in urban centres where settlement is greater and administrative Six out of ten cases, ethnic based associations aim to favour cohesion
among co-patriots whereas multiethnic associations are less
widespread. Interethnic associations that include italians as well
constitute only one seventh of the
total. Subsahara africans are
those that demonstrate greater
inclination for associational
networking. Italian volunteer groups
are present as well, according to
data for the year 1997, they
have taken care of 120.000
immigrants in 1997.
ITALY immigrant residents
according to town size:
Area up to 5000 from 5.001 to 10.000 From 10.001 to 20.000 etc
The problems of daily life
The most serious problems
immigrants face in their process
of integration is that of course of finding lodging and labour
The total number of bed posts
at the disposal of Italian
reception centres is 20.000, these are distributed among 980 centres, three
quarters are situated in the North. This form of reception helps
in cases of emergencies yet social policies geared to
promote adequate lodging
could contribute to resolve the
problem at its roots: it is
ofcourse not a matter of hosting homeless , but of facilitating conditions which favour this category
as well as other categories
of Italian citizens.
It is difficult to calculate
exactly the number of homeless
immigrants: In the "Second Report
on Integration" the National Commision for Integration hypothsized
that around 3 % both in condions
of extreeme precarity (between 40 and 50.ooo people) and this leads to believe that there are many cases of
forced cohabitation and
overcrowding ( 5 people in one or two rooms) unhealthy lodging. It is also true that a growing number of
immigrants are beginning to
acquire appartments..
The housing problem is only
one aspect in the difficult process of integration: Every 25 hours one foreigner fall victem to an act of violence ( physical attacks, pickpocketing ) and of these
one third is of xenophobic nature. Furthermore these acts are not carried out
by extreemist groups but also
by so called "normal" citizens), the
phenomenon is spreading out into
Italy's peripheries and the provinces.
Discrimination does not
consist only of acts of
street violence but also unjust
treatment in work places, discriminatory
treatment banks at the
moment of opening up a bank accounts , difficulties found in finding homes with families or through agencies.
It is usually believed that immigrants commit
more crimes in comparison to national citizens: according to a recent survey conducted by the European Observatory
against Racism, 72 % of the
people interviewed share this belief.
For a more precise analysis of the statistical data, one needs
to take into account the following aspects: to recognize that a high percentage of immigrants do not have
problems with law enforcement ;
to distinguish the occasional immigrant delinquent from the real criminal; to consider
that 78% of the crimes committed are attributed to illegal immigrants;
to take into account the fact
that the majority of the charges refer to the following nationalities: Marocco,
Albania, Romania, Tunis Algeria, Jugoslavia, Senegal, Nigeria and China; taking into account that the northern regions for a number of reasons offer a more favourable
environment for
immigrants that commit crimes.
The crimes more frequently attributed towards
immigrants are: violation of laws regarding drugs, exploitation of prostitution, violation of
immigration laws and crimes against public administration. The crime against forgery ,
obstruction to an officer of the law in case of arrest, , or controls , falsification
of documents strictly tied to the condition of being " non citizens"
and therefore to the requirement
of obtaining numerous authorizations.
The presence of foreign
prisoners , in jails has
grown (16.330 foreigners over a total of 55.383 in 31.5. 2001), a little less than one third, and this
is also due to the length of criminal
proceedings , for the
most part, these regard persons
under investigation and those not condemned definitely.
According to a survey ordered by the National Commision for Integration, three
forth of the immigrant population
consider that italians have a distorted image of foreigners, because
they consider them as people who
arouse fears and
for three quarters of the immigrants , italians had a distorted image of
them , because they believe that italians
consider them as people who arouse
fears and that italians accept uncritically, the information diffused by mass media,
without disinguishing the varios nationalities. Interviewers found out that Italians pretend a level of
legality which they themselves can
not claim, given that they do not
pay taxes nor do they observe the laws. Notwithstanding they believe that Italians can demonstate solidarity with
them. A demonstration of trust that deserves to be reciprocated.
Minors, school and
languages
In the period 1996 -2000 the
number of minors increased at a much higher rate than immigrant residents(
respectively 120% and 66%), passing from 125.565 to 277.976. In the year 2000 , two factors influenced this
tendency: the arrival of minors from abroad ( over 22.000)the and the birth of children
from both foreign parents
(25.916) . The impact of immigrant minors, equal to 19% of the foreign
population, is higher in the
North and reaches values between 24 and 27% in the various provinces of the Lombard
region .
The very serious problem is
that non accompanied minors, that frequently come to Italy with the consensus of their parents in order to support family income. The
majority are Albanian . In the
year 2000 almost 8.307 were identified by the apposite Committee, and other 4.621 in the first five months of the year 2001.
Closely linked to the family is education.
where immigrant mothers often find difficulties that we frequently overlook, due to the fact that in thier culture of origin , the roles are different. The contact beween teachers
and parents of Italian children
could be usuful to promote
gradual changes.
Immigrant students totalled
25.756 in the school year
1991-1992 , five times as
much (147.406), with 28.000 units
more than the preceding year.
In the Norther regions
there is a higher concentration: almost two thirds of the national total
with a 3 % impact on the scolastic population.
The distribution according to type of school is the following:
kindergarden (20%), elementary
(44%) , junior high school (24%)
high school ( 12%). As far as continental origins are concerned , Europeans prevail ( 43%) ,Africans (29%),
followed by Asians ( 16%) and Americans (12%). There is a signficant variation
of ethnic origins ( 182) as well as religious beliefs (18) and languages.
The
Observatroy of immigrant languages
the University for Foreigners of Siena has continued the census of the languages spoken by the first 30 national groups
of immigrants, (182 languages) .
The changes in the comunication systems of our daily lives is an important instrument that requires
suitable cultural
policies.
Foreign minors and
students( 2000)
Area minors impact % on immigration students Inc % on Scol. Population
N.B. data on residents up til
l3.1 .12. 2000, school data
is referred to the scholastic year 2000
Source: data processed by Caritas Statistical Dossier on Immigration
on the data furnished by Istat and
the Ministery of Pubblic Education.
A danger for health or for faith
Immigrants do not constitue a threat
for the health of Italians, furthermore, accrding to the 1998 law, immigrants
have been included on equal basis in the national health service and some of
the obstacles of the past have been removed: yet data demonstrate that
immigrants are more exposed to social hardships.
For the first time, the Ministry of Health furnished data on hospitalizations
(relative to 1998), from this data we can deduce a few indications: there were
248.000 hospitalizations of foreign citizens with an impact of 2 % on total number, thus their impact is
not greater than that of the total population. This is an indicator of good
health(27%); this is further
strenghened by the fact that among
non hopitalized residents ( 27% of the cases) a proportion of illegals are included. As far as continental origins are concerned africans prevail ( 36%) and Europeans ( 29%), while Asia and
America hold quotas a little over 10%. Women prevail (60%) and young people (in contrast to
what occurs for young people). The
principal causes of hospitalization
are phisiological ( pregnancy, child birth, traumatisms, fractures . The
data on day hospitals
demonstrate that abortion is the principal cause of hospitalization, and this confirms once
again the social and sanitary
hardships that immigrant
women face . Hospital care ends up
compensating an insufficient basic health service and inadequate assistence. These
data help to reconsider the fears towards immigrants as focus of infection (turburculousis and
Aids).
An
other " infection" which is usually attributed to immigrants ,
is of a religious nature: It
is not correct to speak about a "islamic invasion", above all for
statistical reasons: according to
the estimation provided by the Fondazione Migrantes, cristians
constitute (48%) (814.000), muslims 37% (621.000), oriental religions 7%
(115.000). For every 10 cristians there are about 5 catholics, 3 orthodox and 2
protestants.
The coexistence of different religions, if
placed within an adequate framework , can acquire a positive meaning both for
italians as for new comers.
Focusing on the dialgue between orthodox and protestants and therefore enabling
a better understanding of oriental
and islamic religions, strengthening a committment to live ones faith in a pluralistic
context, characterized by
acceptance of others.
As far as Islam is concerned, the september 11th terrorist
attemps in the United States
has increased a number of fears.
The Dossier includes a well
thought out analysis carried out by the Ambrosian Centre of Religious Documentation, illustrating the evolution that currently
characterizes the Union of the Islamic organizations in Italy , based upon life conditions in western countries
which are very different from the
counry of origin. The Islamic
texts, interpreted by european muslims and not by theologists that remain in monolithic countries, does not
exclude this evolution that nontheless requires time. For this reason the
coexistence of the various religions can be considered an important opportunity
for interreligious dialogue and
world peace.
Regions where cristian immigrants constitute the
majority (31.12.2000)
Region %cristian Region % cristian
Piem
Ligury
Trentine
Veneto Friuli
Tusc
31.12.2000
Regions where muslim
immigrants constitute the majority
Regions
Regions
% muslim
Vald'Aoste
Emilia Romagna
Basilicata
Puglia
Source: Estimation Migrantes-Caritas/
Immigration Statistical Dossier processed by data stemming from the Ministery of Interior Affairs.
A Labour market in need of new contributions
The italian labour market has 23.574.000 units that gravitates above all on services (63%)
, industry (32%) and agriculture (5%),notwithstanding important regional
differences.
The rate of unemployment (
10.6%) is differentiated as well.
The values at the two extreems are 3.8% and 20-21 % in the
South and in the Islands. It
should be underlined that unemployment is a difficult problem to manage ,
because italians willingness to move from one municipality to the other is in
average equal to 2,2%: 1.293.789
were transferred in 1999, of which 78.712 from the South to the North.
Mobility is three times higher among
immigrants ( 75.000 altogether),involving one every 17 recorded at the General
Registry Office
(6%) higher values are found
in the northern provinces: 10.000 more people arrived in the north, mainly from
the South.
According to the data of the Ministery of the
Interior, there were , up until 31 of december 2000, 91.040 immigrants (10.7%)
at the moment of the renewal or issueing
of the work permit were
either seeking a new occupation or first occupation ( the impact is
lower among women). A
proportion of unemployed is
constituted by those who came to
Italy to find work; in some countries ,atleast one fifth of the unemployed is
constituted by people who were sponsered (India, China, Sri Lanka, Rumania, Peru , Pakistan
Philippines) .
In 1999, there were 205.000 registered at the unemployment office, yet this is
an inflated indicator because it included
all those who already had a part time job and were recently
unemployed,thus in a transitional phase from one work to an
other. Immigrants constitute
3.6% of all unemployed in Italy, a
percentage which coincides with their impact on the labour force. For some gruops a greater percentual
impact may be found among the unemployed, this is an indicator of the difficulties in finding a job ( Maghreb countries,
Seegal, Bangladesh), for other countries the opposite occurs ( Rumania,
Jugoslavia, China and te Philippines).
The quota programmed for the year 2000 was of
63.000 new immigrant workers. In this year, 58.038 authorizations from abroad were issued, 58% for limited time span , distributed
as follows: 46% agriculture, industry 18.4 and tertiary 35%. Almost 15.000
people came for warrent services and 3.568 through the lists of reservations in embassies. Two thirds
of the authorizations were destined to the North east , mainly in seasonal labour. The countries of origin were mostly from Eastern European
countries, Romania, Poland, Slovacchia, Czechoslovakia. In order to promote
the match between labour demand and supply, the Ministery of
Labour instituted the AILE,
computerized registry of non eec
workers, where 5000 albanese and 3000 tunisians were registered ,previous collection and vaglio of their
professional qualfications.
In the year 2000 for the so called "non comunitarian workers" 110.575 new job posts were created as a result of the balance between 512. 580 new
employments and 402.005 and
contract expiraments , with a postive balance of 28% which is more more solid than that of italians. In the North East, there is one
immigrant out of every seven
new recruits , and this is also because working class jobs no longer attract italians.. New immigrant recruits are younger than italians ( two-thirds are not over 35 years of age), 52.9% find employment in
firms with up to 50 employees, especially in the manufacturing industry (one
fifth of the total), in hotels , restaurants and agribusiness.
The sectorial distribution of the 534 regularly
authorized subordinate workers is as follows : 5% ind
agriculture,( almost nine out of ten cases with a short term contract),32% in
industries and 63% in services.
Their employment increasingly grows in the less structured sectors of the economy.
(services and building industry) . The rate of employment is higher
between june and september,
especially in commerce which has increased by one
third. The number of unionized workers
is signficant (223.000) people and this is a tuning indicator of immigrants'
with these organizations, which have safeguarded their rights on
legislative grounds, and have
contribuited to the creation of a territorial network of immigrant tradeunion
representatives ( over 1000).
In the field of subordinate
labour, the most ethnisized sector is that of domestic workers, where over half
of the employees (around 130.000) are immigrants,reaching around 75% in certain
areas such as Rome or Milan. Furthermore, taking into account those domestic servants employed illegally (for
example, the so called
"baby-sitters"originating from eastern countries hired on a temporary
bases), the percentual impact would be even higher. The jobs
involved are numerous, and this has allowed many males to find jobs as well
(almost one fifth of the total). Women who are no longer young ( two thirds are
over thirty) and are not simply
" domestic servants"
approach pension age
without having accumulated pension rights.
For every 10 immigrants with
work permits one is a self employed worker, mainly male (80%). The Ministery of
the interior has recorded 83.269
individuals that in proportional terms is inferior to what occurs in other European contexts. There
are , nonetheless regions where this presence is higher, such as Florence, and
the Island of Sardegna in particular where one fourth of the permits were
issued for self employed labour (it is no coincidence that the most numerous national group are
senegalese , who are quite inclined for self-employment).
Italy. Immigrant labour:
Number of Employed, work
suspensions (16.3.2001)
Region and Province N of job recruitments
N of work suspensions
balance %
North West
North East
Centre
South
Islands
Italy
Source: Caritas Statistical
Dossier on INAIL data
Labour and social security
contributions
Among those immigrant workers
that are in fact employed,those that have social security coverage are much
less ( 400.000 according to INPS , almost 200.000 more according to
scholars). This underlines
dramatically the problem of illegal work in Italy. According to the estimation of the Central Statistics Institute , working untis that are not in
order with their contributions
total on the whole 3.5 million. Of these, according to our calculations 350/400.000 are immigrants (about one sixth of the total), with a
strong concentration in the service sector and a signficant increasing trend in agriculture. It must be added as well that in the
second half of the '9o ,illegal
labour among immigrants remained
more or less stable. In addition to jeopardizing the insurance
institute, the lack of payments of employment subsidies ,
constitutes a serious
threat for immigrants
because this not only negatively influences their future penion, but
it deprives them of of their residence permits' guarantees and other legal benefits.
Immigrant employees
contributions are worthy of respect ( over 3.000 billion lire a year) yet this
does not justify the attention that has been placed on immigrants as a pivot for the recovery
of the pension program . Even if arrivals increased by 200.000 per year
until the year 2030 this would
notslow down the advancement of
the average age level (47), the
worsening of the level of eldery
people's dependency upon the active population (0,41). Already in the year 2000
a study carried out by the United
Nations underlined that due to
italy's negative population growth rate, it would be necessary to increase entry quotas by 10.
The level of immigrant labour
force does not reach 4%, yet the impact of accident insurance was 4.8% in 1999 and a worrysome 6.9 in 2000. This constitutes a clear indicator of having to do the more
dangerous and heav jobs, especially in the building sector and in the metallurgic
industiry where the rates of
mortal accidents among immigrants is particularly high.
On the otherhand , immigrants' remittances contitute a sort of insurance for the
families that have remained in the homeland: in the year 2000 1.139billion lire (equivalent to about
100.thosand lire a month),
were sent by citiens with stay permits through
official channels and almost as much through other channels.
ITALY.Sectorial Distribution of regularized immigrant
workers in Italy (estimations for the year 2000)
Sector %
employed clarifications
number of employed
Agriculture
639 directors
61.280 subordinate workers
2000 self employed
Industry
including all divisions
Self employed
Services
subordinate workers
l
domestic workers
self
employed workers
subordinate workers withholding taxes
Total
All divisions in the three sectors
Ten percent increase
to
Source; estimation Caritas
Statistical Immigration on different sources