Discussion at this national roundtable focusing on immigration opened with the participants citing figures showing that foreigners account for 7.5% of Italy’s population (up from 1% in 1991) and contribute over 12% of national GDP. Many migrants have chosen to settle in Italy permanently, have bought a house (20%), and have children attending Italian schools.
This transition from Italy as a country of emigration to one of immigration is therefore a recent phenomenon, and presents some important differences from experiences in France, the UK, Germany and other countries facing similar phenomena.
Firstly, in Italy’s case, the influx is not a hangover of a colonial empire, and although the surge in numbers has coincided with globalization, the major push factors have been more demographic than economic. Italy stands out as the only country where a high rate of immigration has been matched by a low or zero growth rate. It was suggested that the reason for this is that immigrants have arrived in Italy to fill demand created – by an aging population and the employment preferences of Italians – for laborers, domestic workers, and child and aged carers.
Another point of differentiation highlighted is that the fabric of Italian society (centered on the family and religious structures) and the country’s 8,000 municipalities (as opposed to megalopolises surrounded by urban sprawl) have managed to assimilate this phenomenon. Indeed, there have been no significant outbreaks of xenophobia to speak of recorded in Italy, compared to elsewhere, though it was emphasized that certain verbal pronouncements have without question contributed little to the analysis and resolution of the various problems associated with immigration.
The country undoubtedly benefits from immigration, not just because immigrants contribute to GDP, but also because they ensure growth in terms of “demographic GDP” (formulated by Prof. Blangiardo as the net demographic wealth – measured in “future-years” – produced by a country). In 2010, Italians “produced” 45 million future-years through births and “consumed” 59 million (through deaths). The deficit was more than made up for by the 16 million future-years ensured by the presence in Italy of immigrants.
The participants also pointed to the important issue of immigrant remittances, which in 2011 amounted to 7.4 billion euro. A monetary flow of this order not only confirms that ties with countries of origin persist even among immigrants who have chosen to live out their lives in Italy, but also represents a significant resource for the developing regions of the world in question.
Immigration to Italy is a historically recent phenomenon, and with the crisis of the last few years having died down or significantly abated, it was felt that conditions are now right to begin setting a new focus for Italy’s institutional approach to the issue, creating an Italian model that is capable of drawing lessons from those of other countries. It was stressed that in attempting to resolve issues of integration, any such model should take into account the unique circumstances and altered economic conditions brought about by the crisis.
To that end, first and foremost, policies dealing with immigration flows and the legalization of undocumented immigrants need to be revisited, leaving behind the logic associated with intermittent amnesties and moving towards ongoing and constant monitoring of the situation.
Whilst it was acknowledged that – from the point of view of workplace entitlements – immigrants with their papers in order have the same rights as Italians and wage gaps between the two are narrowing, emphasis was nevertheless placed on the continued existence of hurdles in procedures for obtaining citizenship and successfully gaining access to schooling. In terms of the granting of citizenship, there was unanimous agreement among the participants that procedures need to be simplified by eliminating red tape which adds at least another four years to the existing 10-year qualification period for citizenship eligibility. It was also felt that even as debate rages on over whether the principle of either jus soli or jus sanguinis should apply as regards immigrants, perhaps jus culture could be introduced in respect of children born in Italy of foreign parents, entitling them to citizenship on completion of at least one Italian academic cycle.
In conclusion, the participants were at pains to stress that the world today is such that we are increasingly heading towards not just a genetic but also a cultural melting pot, and that the economics of globalization entail flows not just of capital but also of people. Given these realities, equipping Italy with tools capable of handling such phenomena is a national priority. This includes economic instruments with which to carry out social investment, legislative mechanisms by which to regulate and govern, and cultural vehicles through which to elucidate and integrate.