Annual report on immigration highlights the important contribution of migrants to Italy

(Vatican Radio) According to the Annual Statistical Report on Immigration to Italy released on Tuesday by the Italian Caritas organization and the Migrantes Foundation, the numbers of legal immigrants to Italy in 2011 rose slightly bringing the immigrant population to just over 5 million persons.

According to Christopher Hein, Director of the Italian Refugee Council, the surge in numbers of asylum seekers registered last year was directly linked to events taking place in the countries of the Arab Spring, and is destined to lapse.

Speaking to Vatican Radio's Linda Bordoni, Hein remarks on the fact that the slight rise in numbers of migrants to Italy last year, must also be seen within the context of the current economic crisis affecting Italy and the Southern European Nations.

listen...

This crisis - he says - obviously affects the employment of migrants and puts into question whether Italy is still today attractive for migrants who wish to find a job.

Almost surprisingly he says, the total number of migrants and foreigners in general in Italy has not diminished during the year 2011, to the contrary it had a slight increase to just above 5 million people. This number includes people from the EU and from European countries that are not part of the EU. Overall - Rein says - EU citizens count for about 1 m. 370.000 there is still quite an elevated number of migrants being legally present in the country.

Rein says it is confirmed that the largest community is that of the Moroccans with a half a million persons, followed by the Chinese with almost 300.000.

With regard to the asylum seekers, the numbers rose in 2011 due to the crisis in North Africa, mostly from Libya and Tunisia. This figure he says this number will certainly decrease.

Rein goes on to speak of the impact of migrants on Italian economy and points out that in this time of stress on the labour market, it is interesting to note that more migrants have found employment than Italian citizens, particularly in the fields Italians are no longer interested in. Their unemployment rates are also lower.

The birth rate among migrant communities is higher than in the Italian communities, and this is due to the fact that there is more and more female immigration.

Hein says Italian immigration policies and infrastructures are inadequate. He points out that in a number of Court decisions in a number of European countries, the transfer of asylum seekers to Italy under the Dublin regulation is suspended for lack of "basic conditions for reception of asylum seekers and less so for integration of recognised refugees in Italy. He says this is a very worrying scenario.

Remarking on the just revealed statistic that over 50 percent of football players in Italy are non Italians, Rein says he hopes this increases a more positive attitude in the public opinion regarding migrants in Italy. It is a sign - he says - that also in leisure and sporting activities migrants give an important contribution.

Rein says on Tuesday afternoon a demonstration in Rome has been organised for more than 25.000 asylum seekers who last year came from Africa and are still in reception centres all over the country after more than 18 months without a solution having been envisaged for them. They risk falling into the situation of undocumented migrants so very quickly a solution must be found.

Rein also recognises the contribution of the Church and of faith-based groups for their work to support and help migrants, and the importance of Pope Benedict XVIth's message calling for the recognition of all migrants as persons with equal rights and equal dignity.