Migration and Skills

DIRECTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT
Human Development
Migration and Skills
The Experience of Migrant Workers from
Albania, Egypt, Moldova, and Tunisia
Jesús Alquézar Sabadie, Johanna Avato, Ummuhan Bardak,
Francesco Panzica, and Natalia PopovaMigration and SkillsMigration and Skills
The Experience of Migrant Workers from
Albania, Egypt, Moldova, and Tunisia
Jesús Alquézar Sabadie, Johanna Avato, Ummuhan Bardak,
Francesco Panzica, and Natalia Popova© 2010 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
Telephone 202-473-1000
Internet www.worldbank.org
E-mail feedback@worldbank.org
All rights reserved.
1 2 3 4 :: 13 12 11 10
A publication of the World Bank in collaboration with the European Training Foundation (ETF).
The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily reflect
the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent, the
policies of ETF or the governments who are Member States of the European Union.
The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do
not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank or ETF concerning the legal status of any
territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.
Rights and Permissions
The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this
work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank and ETF encourage dissemination of its work
and will normally grant permission to reproduce portions of the work promptly.
For permission to photocopy or reprint any part of this work, please send a request with complete
information to the Copyright Clearance Center Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923,
USA; telephone: 978-750-8400; fax: 978-750-4470; Internet: www.copyright.com.
All other queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to the
Office of the Publisher, The World Bank, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax:
202-522-2422; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org.
ISBN: 978-0-8213-8079-6
eISBN: 978-0-8213-8119-9
DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213-8079-6
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Migration and skills : the experience of migrant workers from Albania, Egypt, Moldova and
Tunisia / Jesús Alquézar Sabadie ... [et al.].
p. cm. — (Directions in development)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8213-8079-6 (alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8213-8119-9
1. Foreign workers—European Union countries. 2. Vocational qualifications. 3. Human capital—
European Union countries. 4. European Union countries—Emigration and immigration—
Government policy. I. Alquézar Sabadie, Jesús.
HD8378.5.A2M538 2009
331.5'44—dc22
2009032584Contents
Foreword and Acknowledgments ix
About the Authors xi
Overview 1
Note 7
Chapter 1 Introduction 9
Background and Motivation 9
Objectives of the Study 14
Methodology 17
Notes 19
Chapter 2 Main Results of Data Analysis from the Surveys 23
Migration Trends 23
Notes 35
Chapter 3 Migration Policy and Its Skill Dimensions 37
Migration Policies of the Four Home Countries 37
The Skills Dimension of Migration: Match
or Mismatch? 46
vvi Contents
The European Union as a Migration Destination 48
Transparency and Recognition of Qualifications for
Migrants 50
Points for Action 57
Notes 60
Chapter 4 Conclusions and Recommendations 63
Appendix 1 Methodology and Data Representativity
Assessment 69
Sampling Design 69
Margin of Error and Difficulties Encountered
During the Fieldwork 70
Data Representation and Other Data Issues 71
Note 72
Appendix 2 Statistical Tables 73
Appendix 3 Questionnaires of the Potential Migration
and Return Migration Surveys 77
References 103
Index 109
Figures
2.1 Potential Migrants: Intention to Migrate and Likelihood
of Migration 24
2.2 Returning Migrants (18 to 40 Years Old): Intention
to Migrate and Likelihood of Migration 25
2.3 Potential Migrants: Intention and Propensity
to Migrate 26
2.4 Remittances and Intention to Migrate 30
Tables
2.1 Labor-Market Status by Country and Intention
to Migrate 29
2.2 Main Motivation for Leaving among Potential
Migrants, by Country 32Contents vii
3.1 Legislative Arrangements on Emigration Policy 38
3.2 Key Policy Interventions on Emigration 39
3.3 Signed Bilateral Labor Agreements 41
3.4 Awareness and Use of Government Migration Programs
and Recruitment Companies 42
A1.1 Margin of Error per Number of Answers 70
A2.1 Preparedness for Migration among Potential Migrants 73
A2.2 Potential Migrants’ Level of Education and Expectations
of the Level of Employment That They Might
Obtain Abroad 74
A2.3 Returning Migrants: Longest Job Abroad by
Educational Level 75