1. Project Co-financed under the European Integration Fund
REALISE Rationale
Project Co-financed under the European Integration Fund

2. Shared fundamental understanding of the project:
what its rationale is
the EU polices behind it
the basic concepts guiding it

3. Over-qualification
OECD - one in four OECD workers are over-qualified for their jobs
Immigrants in Europe are disproportionately employed in jobs for which they are over-qualified
EC: two thirds of employed high-skilled recent migrants are in jobs for which they are over-qualified

4. Barriers Recognition of degrees Value of qualifications
No information or knowledge about the validity of academic or occupational qualifications acquired abroad
Language
Lack of social networks, knowledge and information
Regulatory (work permits, settlement, citizenship)
Discrimination
Local labour market situation

5. Their problem - Our problem
Over-qualification means members of our work force are not realising their full potential (hence the choice of the project title ‘REALISE’) in contributing to our economy and the quality of our labour market.

6. Economist Feb 28th, 2008

7. Europe 2020 Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Employment and social policy  European economic governance
7 Flagship Initiatives in 3 areas:
i)Smart Growth, ii) Sustainable Growth,
iii) Inclusive Growth
Country-specific recommendations

8. 2020 Targets Employment rate of 75%, from 69%
Tertiary education completion rate of 40%, from at present 32.3% among year olds, representing an additional 2.6 million graduates.
Reduce school drop-outs below 10%, from at present 14.4%, i.e. equivalent to a million less leaving.
Lift at least 20 million people from the risk of poverty and social exclusion; 116 million people were considered at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU27 in 2008

9. More skilled work and workers in a more value added economy
New growth technologies and economic activities
i.e. we will need everybody to be doing their best in the labour market.
People underperforming on the labour market (e.g. over-qualified immigrants) = going away from 2020 goals

10. Immigration NOT about immigration – tactical distinction
REALISE is concerned with:
People who are now part of our societies
Europe’s productive and innovative capacities, and 2020 goals

11. Crisis
September 2011 EU unemployment and expectations of unemployment rising
Rise in long-term joblessness
€uro instability…

12. Demographics
Europe’s population is aging, with less working people to pay for pensions and other dependent people
2050: number of working persons for each citizen aged 65 and up will fall from 4 to 2
Bottom line:
Those who do work will have to be as productive as possible.

13. Why REALISE?
Need to better activate people onto the labour market – i.e. 3rd country nationals
EU Commission – INTI – approval largely because aligns with 2020 policies
∴ Need for REALISE project partners to share basic understanding of how REALISE relates to ‘Europe 2020’

14. So…
How does this very general macro-level policy framework (Europe 2020, OECD studies, etc.) relate to our very specific local levels:
How do you see this phenomenon of over-qualification of 3rd country nationals in your city?
What groups? How are the OECD findings and the EU 2020 policy reflected locally?
What do you do about it? What sort of measures, actions, and policies do you expect to develop to deal with these problems?

15. See full document: