sou · GYB340 · 2010-05-28 00:00:00 — Of these, 202 400 were born in and thus moved out of the country at least once and then returned. Just under one per cent of population, 81 000 people, are cir- cular migrants born abroad, who at least once moved here, moved out of the country and then moved back to again. A large proportion of the circular migrants in born abroad consists of people born in another Nordic country, 41 per cent of them originally come from a Nordic country. Barely one in five is from an EU country and a further 10 per cent come from another country in Europe. Thus, almost 70 per cent of circular migrants in were born abroad and come from Europe, and the remaining 30 per cent are from countries outside Europe. Those who originate from countries in immediate vicinity made the most moves. A larger proportion of circular migrants have post-secondary education than the population as a whole. How- ever, for circular migrants who are not highly educated, the level of education is lower than the average in . Few of the elderly are circular migrants, however, among the total population of persons born abroad, the number of pensioners or persons who will retire in the next few years is some 365 000 people. They constitute a group of potential circular migrants. Many of those born abroad and who are above the age of 55 have been in for such a long time that they have become naturalized Swedish citizens. There is a group of people who previously lived in but who have now left the country and constitute a Swedish diaspora abroad. This partly concerns persons born in . There are 21 400 Swedish-born circular migrants abroad who left at some point since the year 2000. Most of them, 32 per cent, have moved to other EU countries and 29 per cent to another Nordic country. Regarding the number of Swedish-born people abroad in total, it is very difficult to assess how many are currently abroad. Estimates indicate, however, that it is likely to be over 250 000 people. If they all chose to move back to , the population would increase by almost three per cent. Persons born abroad who were registered as residents in for a period but who have now left , also constitute a kind of Swedish diaspora abroad. There are 169 500 persons born abroad who lived in for a period of time and then left the country after the year 2000. The patterns of movement look different for people from different countries and regions. Circular migrants born in a Nordic country and in EU27 return to a greater extent to their home country or to another country in the same region. Those born in who, in several respects connected with material standard of living and security, have more to lose from returning home, on to other regions with a similar standard of living to . Between 1969 and 2009, over a period of 40 years, 850 000 people made circular moves that involved . The circular migrants that can be identified in available statistics ‒that is to say those people who moved at least twice across the national border ‒ have together generated 2 039 000 moves or events in the statistics since 1969. Women and men largely made the same number of circular moves. 440 000 of the circular moves were made by children. Underlying every move is a new decision and a different set of individual reasons for moving. Special categories of migrants in There are special categories of migrants in who are of importance for development here and in the country they came from. People who stay here for periods shorter than one year are not entered in the countrys population register. entry in the Swedish population register is that a person has a legal right to stay here and intends to stay for at least 12 months. Those who were not entered in the Swedish population register include many who were granted a work permit under the new law on labour immigration where many received a permit for less than 12 months. During 2009, a total of 18 000 people were granted a first permit to work on the Swedish labour market. Out of these, a small group is made up of self-employed persons. Only 126 self- employed persons were granted work permits during 2009. Rese- make up one group granted permission to work here. Another group are former asylum applicants. The incomparably largest occupational category for those who were granted a work permit during 2009 included workers in agriculture, gardening and forestry. Just under 7 300 people were granted a permit under this category. The second largest group is made up of computer special- ists. In addition, workers both in occupations that require many years education or specialisation and in occupations where long education is not required, have come. The majority receive short- term permits. Only every fourth person has been granted a permit exceeding 12 months. This low proportion largely depends on the large number of short-term permits to work in gardening and for picking wild . People employed in large corporations who are temporarily sta- tioned in often stay here without being entered in the population register. This is a small but highly qualified group who may be of great relevance for development both in and in other countries. There is also a group of people staying in without permission and who therefore cannot be found in official statistics. Estimates from voluntary organisations indicate that it is a question of between 25 000 and 50 000 people. Another large and important group is international students. There were more than 36 000 international students studying in in 2009. Europe is the largest area of origin for the stud- ents but an increasing number come from and the largest number from . Many receive their degrees in and are prepared to enter the labour market. The international students are potential labour immigrants and future circular migrants. The students are also in many ways a key group regarding development in both country of destination and of origin. An international stud- ent may under certain circumstances become a labour immigrant. However, it is difficult for foreign students to establish themselves on the Swedish labour market. During 2009, only 435 former students were granted a work permit in . Lack of compe- tence in Swedish is an important reason why students have diffi- culty finding work, but discrimination and ignorance among employers also play a role. Migration and the labour market labour market and migration to and from are closely connected. A precondition for persons who come to , and hence are potential circular migrants, to be able to con- tribute to development in their country of origin is that the competence they bring to is continually maintained and developed. How- ever, the link to the labour market is poorer among persons born abroad than among persons born in . In many cases there is a lack of knowledge about acceptance and validation of previous experience. Discrimination also occurs. The Swedish language has a strong position in society and knowledge of Swedish is often a con- dition for employment. Self-employed persons are an important group for future cir- cular migration. In there are close to 70 000 companies owned by persons born abroad and today they employ around 250 000 people. There are several projects in place aiming to sup- port entrepreneurs born abroad and make it possible for them to reach out to new export markets. The preconditions for circular migration to and from There are many circumstances that affect the preconditions for cir- cular migration to and from . In making a decision to migrate to , from and back again, the Swedish social security system and how it functions is probably of some importance. Swedish social insurance is organised according to two main principles: residence-based and work-based benefits. All who are regarded as residents in have access to the residence- based benefits. The precondition is that it is assumed the person will reside in for at least one year. This applies from day one. Precisely as it sounds, work-based benefits are linked to employment. There are several matters of a practical nature that must be dealt with if entry into Swedish society is to function smoothly. This applies to contacts with authorities, and opportunities to receive information on how the Swedish system works. The status of the permit in the country of destination is of key importance for an individuals decision to circulate. Citizenship is the foremost guarantee of secure in the country of dest- ination and improves the individuals opportunities to betwe- en the countries and maintain business relations and other contacts with the country of origin. Swedish legislation permits dual citizenship and hence persons who apply for and obtain Swedish citizenship can retain their pre- vious citizenship unless legislation in the country of origin pre- vents it. Both experience and research indicate a close connection between integration in the country of destination and promotion of circular migration. Successful integration contributes to increas- ing the chances of a successful reestablishment in the country of origin. In this way, circular migration is promoted. If, instead, the migrant fails to establish himself there is a danger that the years of absence lead to brain waste, that is to say an undermining or depletion of the individuals knowledge and competence. The opportunity to maintain contact with family in spite of large distances and different living conditions is of major relevance for an individuals decisions to migrate and circulate. At the same time, the global family is in many ways a precondition for the development effects circular migrants are able to contribute to, not least regarding social remittances. Global families are a conse- quence of migration, but they are also of importance for facilitating circular migration. If the migrant has an effective network in his or her country of origin, this facilitates a possible return and enables the migrant to invest in and carry on operations in the former home country. Circular migration and development A central part of the Committees remit is to describe the con- nections between circular migration and development. Develop- ment is a nuanced and complex concept. Economic growth has been the predominant measure of development over the past fifty years but recently alternative ways of looking at development have emerged. In the early 1990s, the UN launched a new measure of development, termed the Human Development Index (HDI) in order to give a more comprehensive picture of a countrys eco- nomic and social development. However, HDI has also come to be considered inadequate for capturing the many dimensions of deve- lopment and the result has been the emergence of several alter- native indexes to measure and compare development. In Policy for Global Development (PGU), the Govern- ment establishes that all policy areas are together jointly responsible for the overall goal of contributing to a fair and sustainable global deve- lopment. The Government points to migration streams as one of the major challenges of our time and in this way draws attention to the connections between migration and development. PGU estab- lishes that must be better at promoting the development potential of migration. Migration affects development in both the country the migrant leaves and the country in which he or she arrives. At the same time, the person migrating changes and develops too. Circular migration can bring gains to the country of origin in many ways ‒ through money sent home, promotion of trade flows and investments, transfer of knowledge as well as transfer of ideas and values that make essential contributions to the shaping of a society, (known as social remittances). In the country of destination, migrants often constitute labour for which there is demand to fill needs for the functioning of soci- ety. At the same time, they bring with them values and approaches from their countries of origin which benefit cultural diversity, broaden views and inspire new thinking. Through their role as builders and promoters of, inter alia, trade and invest- ments between the countries of origin and destination, migrants contribute to the creation of job opportunities and tax revenue in both quarters. Lastly, the private individual may also benefit from migration. The reasons why a person chooses to migrate are many and com- plex. Some flee their home countries to escape from war and oppression. For others, the hope of better work conditions, higher salaries, new development opportunities, and a career development underlie the decision to move. Common to all migrants is the for a better future, for themselves and their families. With this approach, migration can create advantages for the country of origin, the country of destination as well as the individual and hence produce a triple-win (win-win-win). year migrants all over the world send home large sums of money, known as remittances, to their families and relatives in the country of origin. These flows are private funds that make an important contribution to development, not just for the recipient but also for society as a whole by stimulating consumption and increasing citizens investments in social services such as education and health care. This creates employment which in its turn generates income. A major share of the remittances are sent through informal channels. The administrative costs of remittances in many cases amount to between 10 and 20 per cent of the remitted amount today. In order to further the development effect of remittances, it is of major importance to make it easier for migrants to find the cheap- est ways of transferring money and reduce transaction costs. Remittances may also take the form of a transfer of values, ideas and contact networks. Today there is growing interest in the social remittances as bearers of values of fundamental rights, democracy and gender equality but also in order to increase understanding of the social context that affects migrants. This impact takes place both in the country of origin and in the country of destination. A countrys diaspora, that is to say people who have left their countries of origin and are dispersed across the world, is an eco- nomic force to be reckoned with and these people are increasingly perceived as agents of change. For part too, it is important that the diaspora groups contribution to development in the country of origin is utilised, and also that society is more actively engaged in and supports the diaspora groups cooperation with the relevant authorities, private enterprise and NGOs. The flight of human capital, often termed brain drain, is a real problem for some countries of origin, above all in certain sectors. However, the predominant view today is that the advantages of migration outweigh the disadvantages. Circular migration can counteract the negative consequences of migration through a built- in element of return of know-how to the country of origin. Increasing international trade is one of the strongest features of globalisation. International trade flows tie countries and regions ever closer to one another and the role of migration is increasingly emphasised today when trade flows are studied and economic exchanges between countries are promoted. Barriers to trade in the form of cultural barriers can become costly for companies operat- ing in an ever more global environment. Migrants background, knowledge of languages and of the customs of the country of origin can contribute to reducing these barriers and thereby in- crease trade between the countries. Swedish authorities work on migration and development The work of several Swedish authorities (SIDA, , , , the for Economic and Regional Growth, et al) is of importance for and can influence circular migration and development. There may be a need for further co- ordination of the authorities activities in this area. Circular migration and development ‒ management at EU level In the EU, comprehensive policy work and more direct legislative work of importance for matters concerning circular migration and development is in progress. Several different directives are to be adopted to regulate migrants stay in the EU. The Directive on the conditions of entry and of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment, known as the Directive, was adopted in 2009. Negotiations on a framework directive regulating migrants rights (Single Procedure Directive) have been ongoing for several years. In the near future, the Com- mission is expected to present proposals for directives on seasonal work and on conditions of entry and of third-country nation- als in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer (ICT Directive). In addition to these, there are other directives that have varying impli- cations on circular migration and development. In , Council adopted the so called Programme, which is the Unions current five-year pro- gramme on judicial matters and home affairs, including migration and asylum policy. One section deals with migration and deve- lopment and Commission is requested inter alia to present proposals concerning how the transfer of remittances can be made safer and cheaper and also how diaspora organisations can be involved in EU development cooperation. The view of circular migration differs among different countries in the EU. While sees circular migration in the first in- stance as spontaneous migratory movements between countries, Commission and the majority of EU countries regard circular migration as controlled migration flows that take place within the framework of specific programmes and projects. Migration in a global perspective In the absence of an international framework there is a need to find alternative solutions in order to improve global governance of international migration. the past twenty years the number of international migrants has increased by almost forty per cent, to 214 million in 2008. Out of the total number of international mig- rants over seven per cent, or 14 million persons, are refugees. In a high-level dialogue on migration and deve- lopment was held in the UN General in . The majority of member countries stressed the necessity of a continued and expanded discussion regarding international migration and development and, in response to this, the for Migra- tion and Development (GFMD) was established. Circular migra- tion has been a particular theme during the first three meetings of GFMD. is very in the GFMD process and is includ- ed in a circle of nations that support the process financially and in other ways. Vi har konstaterat att det finns ett antal förhållanden som genom- syrar mycket av det som diskuterats och behandlats vid den inled- ande kartläggande fasen av kommitténs arbete. Dessa förhållanden kan ses som utgångspunkter för vårt arbete och sammanfattas i några stycken. Migration spelar en viktig roll i ett lands utveckling I takt med att globaliseringen inom alla områden blir allt mer omfattande ökar även den internationella migrationen. Såväl historiska som nutida exempel visar att migration till och från ett land påverkar landets utveckling. Invandring kan tillföra kompe- tens som utvandring kan innebära att behövd kompetens försvinner, i alla fall temporärt. Återvandring, och cirkulär migra- tion i form av upprepade flyttningar, kan i många fall bidra positivt till ursprungslandet. Även destinationslandet kan vinna på cirkulär migration när en migrant flyttar hem igen t.ex. genom ökade kon- takter mellan länderna och förbättrade förutsättningar för handel. Den grupp av personer som varit i t.ex. och som är tillbaka i sitt hemland utgör en viktig resurs för fortsatta kontakter. Ökad legal migration kan stärka en positiv påverkan på de länder som är involverade. Migration har alltid funnits och spelar en allt viktigare roll i och med globaliseringen. Detta påverkar alla länder och kräver både ett nationellt och internationellt förhållningssätt Migration har förekommit allt sedan mänskligheten föddes och är en förutsättning för all mänsklig utveckling. Migrationsrörelserna har i sin omfattning och räckvidd varierat över tiden. Välkända begrepp är historiska folkvandringar. Emigrationen till är fortfarande levande för de flesta svenskar. Det är bara för några generationer sedan som den stora Amerikautvandringen omform- ade i och med att en miljon svenskar lämnade landet för gott.1 På lokal nivå pågår en och omfattande omflyttning. har en av tretton personer flyttat över en församlingsgräns.2 Den ekonomiska utvecklingen och fram- växten av ett informations- och kommunikationssamhälle medför ökade möjligheter till geografiskt allt längre flyttningar. Globali- seringen har medfört att migrationen över nationsgränser och till fjärran länder har blivit vanligare. Det är inte längre bara kapital, varor och tjänster som flödar över nationsgränserna. bor det i personer från i stort sett alla världens länder. Alla länder påverkas i allt större utsträckning av migration, vilket gör att migr- ation också i ökad utsträckning är ett område inom vilket länder måste skapa en politik. I och med att migration över nationsgränser per definition berör flera länder krävs i större omfattning bilaterala, regionala och globala förhållningssätt till migration. Migration påverkar utvecklingen i såväl ursprungs- som destinationslandet både i direkt och indirekt form Migrationsflödet över nationsgränser har en direkt påverkan på såväl ursprungs- som destinationslandet i och med den enskilde migrantens flyttning. Migranten för med sig sin egen kompetens och sina egna värderingar. Men det finns också en stor komponent av indirekt påverkan som t.ex. kan ta sig uttryck i sådant som ökad handel mellan länderna och ökande eller minskande skatteintäkter. 1Nelson (1949). 2SCB (1999). Reformen med möjlighet till arbetskraftsinvandring till från länderna utanför EU/EES har givit värdefulla bidrag till den svenska arbetsmarknaden Ett viktigt steg för att ge fler möjligheter till legal invandring till togs i och med det nya regelverk som möj- liggjorde arbetskraftsinvandring från länderna utanför EU/EES. Lagstiftningen möjliggör för fler arbetstagare att komma till för att arbeta och att möta den efterfrågan som finns på arbetsmarknaden. Förändringarna har inte varit i kraft så länge , men vi kommer i vårt arbete att beakta vilka resultat reformen har lett till. I samband med detta arbete kommer vi att uppmärksamma om det finns behov av att överväga smärre förändringar för att underlätta för cirkulär migration. Det finns många olika former av cirkulär migration Begreppet cirkulär migration har alltmer vunnit inträde såväl i den akademiska världen som i de miljöer där politik skapas. Begreppet har aldrig givits en enhetlig definition. I vår inledande kartläggning har insikten vuxit fram att det inte finns någon enhetlig definition av begreppet och att det inte heller finns anledning för oss att låsa fast oss i en viss defini- tion. I stället är det tydligt att det inom begreppet cirkulär migr- ation ryms många olika former av migration och att dessa kan vara av relevans för att belysa olika för kommittén relevanta fråge- ställningar. En för utformning av politik grundläggande skiljelinje går mellan migration som är spontan och sådan som är styrd och ingår i specifika program. En diaspora påverkar utvecklingen i sitt hemland En diaspora i form av personer från ett land som bor i ett annat land påverkar utvecklingen i sitt ursprungsland oavsett om man väljer att flytta tillbaka eller stanna kvar. Detta kan exempelvis ta sig uttryck i form av s.k. virtuell cirkulation3 genom vilken värderingar överförs, filantropisk verksamhet som stöder verksamheter i ursprungslandet och/eller genom hemsändande av 3 Se ordförklaring. pengar till den kvarvarande familjen.