HAS On the occasion of the bill tabled by the government, the debate on immigration has resurfaced in the news. Unsurprisingly, the security and identity aspects hold a preponderant place, eclipsing certain economic realities that should nevertheless be taken into account to allow a true democratic debate. Because immigration for economic reasons is minimal in France, and our country is depriving itself, for the wrong reasons, of strong long-term growth potential and, in the short term, of substantial economic and social benefits.
Contrary to popular belief, France is a country with low immigration! The annual flow of incoming immigrants was 316,174 people in 2022, according to the Ministry of the Interior, or approximately 0.45% of the French population. Apart from family reunifications, the possibilities of work immigration are reduced for non-EU nationals.
As a result, immigration for economic reasons is negligible in our country: in 2022, it represented only 16% of new visas issued, often at the cost of administrative battles with an uncertain outcome for the immigration candidate and for their potential employer. And this, even though, according to the “2023 workforce needs” survey by Pôle emploi, 61% of recruitments are considered difficult, mainly due to a lack of candidates and adequate skills.
The benefits of labor immigration are considerable in the short term, to respond to strong and persistent tensions in certain crucial sectors both for our economy and for our daily life. So-called “shortage” professions are observed at all qualification levels: we are missing specialized workers as well as doctors, cooks, nurses, bankers and even IT specialists. Therefore, low labor immigration in France is a major economic problem. Due to a lack of staff, emergency services close, dependent elderly citizens are deprived of care, businesses give up on creating activity, or even close or relocate.
However, studies carried out by the Economic Analysis Council show that labor immigration has, in the short term, a negligible impact on public finances, to the extent that immigrants work, contribute and pay taxes. In the long term, labor immigration, particularly skilled immigration, stimulates growth by promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and integration into the global economy. How can we imagine that policies of reindustrialization and adaptation to climate change could be carried out in a closed economy, particularly in international research? Ideas and innovations do not circulate in the ether, they are carried by people.
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