Seminar on the integration of immigrants into the labour market, Lisbon 15 June 2007

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Seminar on the integration of immigrants
into the labour market

A seminar on the integration of immigrants into the labour market, jointly organised by the Portuguese Authorities (ACIME, High Commission for Immigration and Ethnic Minorities) and the OECD, was hosted by the Luso-American Foundation (FLAD) in Lisbon on 15 June 2007. This seminar examined different measures to assess and enhance the human capital of immigrants, to help immigrants and their children to get better access to jobs and to combat discrimination and promote diversity.

Introductory remarks by Mr. John Martin (Director of DELSA, OECD)

Agenda

09:15‑09:45	Welcome by: Mário Mesquita (Member of the Executive Council of the Luso-American Foundation, FLAD), José António Vieira da Silva (Portuguese Minister for Employment and Social Solidarity), and John Martin (Director of DELSA, OECD) Overview of the labour market integration of immigrants in OECD countries by Georges Lemaître (OECD) and Thomas Liebig (OECD)
09:45‑10:30	Session I: Assessing and enhancing the human capital of immigrants Chair: Roberto Carneiro (Coordinator of the Portuguese Immigration Observatory)
	Issues for discussion
	Selection for success (Steve Davis, Australia)
	Recognition and transferability of foreign qualifications and work experience (Elizabeth Ruddick, Canada)
10:30-10:50	General Debate
10:50‑11:15	Coffee Break
11:15‑12:15	Session II: Getting a foothold in the labour market Chair: John Martin (OECD)
	Issues for discussion
	Structure of the labour market in Germany: Overview (Dagmar Feldgen, Germany)
	Targeting effective labour market measures at immigrants (Heino Jespersen, Denmark; Lena Schröder, Sweden)
	Integration of immigrant youth in difficult situations (Patrick Aubert, France)
12:15‑13:00	General debate
13:00‑14:30	Lunch hosted by the FLAD
14:30‑15:30	Session III: Combating discrimination and promoting diversity Chair: Nadia Marot (France)
	Issues for discussion
	Anti-discrimination policies (Lena Schröder, Sweden) Hiring practices (Kay Hampton, Commission for Racial Equality, United Kingdom)
	Effective diversity measures (Michiel Van der Voorde, Belgium)
15:30‑16:00	General debate
16:00‑16:30	Coffee Break
16:30‑17:30	Panel discussion: Perspectives for integration policy Chair: H.E Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues (Ambassador, Head of the Portuguese Delegation to the OECD)
	Rui Marques (ACIME), Martine Durand (Deputy Director of DELSA, OECD) and Roland Schneider (TUAC, Trade Union Advisory Committee)
17:30-17:45	Closing session Pedro Silva Pereira (Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers) H.E Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues (Ambassador, Head of the Portuguese Delegation to the OECD) Mário Mesquita (Member of the Executive Council of the Luso-American Foundation, FLAD) Rui Marques (ACIME) John Martin (Director of DELSA, OECD)

Publication

The OECD synthesis report based on the reviews of the labour market integration of immigrants and their children in four countries (Australia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden) was presented during the seminar. The publication Jobs for immigrants: Labour market integration in Australia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden (Vol. 1) including the synthesis chapter and the four country studies has now been released.

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