Annual Report

Safe Access. The Humanitarian Admission Programmes for Syrian Refugees in Germany

Policy Brief l October 2015

Half of the Syrian population has fled the country – and those seeking protection are increasingly setting off on the irregular and often dangerous trip across the Mediterranean or across land to apply for asylum on European soil. The current crisis shows how urgently ways are needed to provide safe and legal access for refugees fleeing to Europe. The Policy Brief looks at Germany's humanitarian admission programmes which are a useful complement to the asylum procedure and could serve as a model for a coordinated European admission programme. It provides 8 recommendations for policymakers at EU, federal and Länder level.

Young Refugees. Challenges and Opportunities for the Host Country

To The Point | July 2015

(Only available in German)

Asylum-seekers are on average much younger than the German population. More than half are under the age of 25 and their numbers are growing. Laender and municipalities thus face the challenge of making it possible for them to attend day care and school and guaranteeing their right to education. Young refugees should also be able to pursue training. This creates opportunities for participation and facilitates their subsequent integration into the labour market. Young refugees are also an opportunity for a demographically ageing country like Germany.

Train and Retain. Career Support for International Students in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden

Study | June 2015

International students are ‘model immigrants’ for the labour markets of their host countries. But although the majority would like to stay and work after graduation, many international students fail to find adequate employment. The Study presents the results from the first international mapping of local support structures for the study-to-work transition of international students in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. It identifies shortcomings and recommends a joint effort of higher education institutions, employers and policy-makers in order to improve job entry support for international students and retain more international graduates as skilled migrants.

The European Asylum Crisis: Towards Collective Reception and Fair Quotas

To The Point | May 2015

Currently, more refugees than ever before are dying on their way to safe European ports. At the same time, the ever-increasing number of asylum applications necessitates joint European action to relieve pressure from the heavily affected asylum systems in some member states. As a response, refugees from crisis-torn countries whose citizens are frequently granted refugee status could be admitted directly from third countries through collective processing. This includes asylum-seekers from Syria, Eritrea and Somalia. However, in order to ensure a fair allocation of asylum-seekers, the EU would first have to agree on a proportional quota system. The SVR Research Unit proposes a multi-factor model which is capable of calculating a fair reception quota for every member state based on its economic strength, population, size of territory and unemployment data. To demonstrate the country-specific impact of the proposed allocation, this SVR Research Unit’s To The Point applies the model to a hypothetical European contingent of 10,000 refugees in order to calculate fair reception quotas for each member state.

Integration of Immigrants in the Free State of Saxony – Description of the Situation and Recommendations for Further Development of Integration Measures under the Saxony Immigration and Integration Concept

Expert Report | August 2014

(Only available in German)

As a result of the economic upswing in Saxony, the unemployment rate has declined significantly in the most populous eastern German state over the last few years; at the same time, the number of immigrants from abroad has increased and the state is once again experiencing positive net migration for the first time in a long while. Thanks to this trend, the Free State of Saxony is now an immigration state – and is benefitting from it: because immigration makes a considerable contribution to eliminating acute shortages of skilled workers and will help cushion the effects of the negative demographic trend over the medium term. In 2012, the state government of Saxony presented an Immigration and Integration Concept (Zuwanderungs- und Integrationskonzept - ZIK) outlining its immigration and integration policy goals. Two years after the ZIK was adopted, the Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs and Consumer Protection commissioned the Expert Council‘s Research Unit to assess the integration of immigrants in Saxony and make recommendations for further development of integration policy in Saxony. The study shows that important steps have already been taken by Saxony to capitalise on the significant easing of restrictions in residence laws and improve integration in key areas of societal coexistence. In light of the dynamic migration, the Expert Council‘s Research Unit recommends, among other things, formulating clear and verifiable goals in the areas identified in the ZIK, assessing the need for an integration and participation law in Saxony, consolidating the responsibilities for integration policy within the state government more in one department and further develop integration policy measures and strategies also in relation to the native population, particularly for dealing with xenophobic, extreme right-wing views and promoting democracy and tolerance in civil education both in and out of school.

Internationally Mobile. Motivations, Determining Factors and Impacts of the Emigration and Return Migration of German Citizens

Study | March 2015

For many years, more German citizens have been moving away from Germany than returning, among them many highly qualified professionals. A joint study by the Expert Council’s Research Unit, the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) and the University of Duisburg-Essen analyses what motivates emigrants and returnees to migrate. The study is broader in scale than ever before and spans all professional groups and qualification levels. The result is, that Germany is not currently experiencing a brain drain, but more of a 'brain circulation', i.e. emigration is usually not permanent: a large percentage of people who move abroad plan to return to Germany. International mobility should still be proactively managed to prevent a permanent loss of skilled workers and take advantage of the opportunities that mobility offers. The study identifies relevant fields of action for policymakers, the private sector and civil society.

Parents as Partners in Education: Successful Participation in Primary Schools

Study | December 2014

A constructive partnership between schools and parents plays an important role in the academic performance and educational success of pupils. As a result, primary schools already offer many forms of parent participation. As the study conducted by the Expert Council's Research Unit shows, all-day schools are more successful overall at involving parents with a migration background and socially disadvantaged families than half-day schools. However, many primary schools still do not offer parents educational opportunities. The recommendations outlined in the study identify the prerequisites for successful parent participation.

How Many Muslims Live in Germany? Patterns in Estimates from People With and Without a Migration Background

To The Point | November 2014

(Only available in German)

How much do people living in Germany know about the country’s Muslim population? This issue of the Research Unit’s To The Point analyses one facet of what people know about Muslims based on an analysis of the 2014 SVR Integration Barometer: how many Muslims live in Germany? The analysis shows that around 70 per cent of respondents overestimate, in some cases significantly, the number of Muslims living in Germany. Nearly one-third of those surveyed estimated the number to be higher than 10 million – although the actual figure is only around 4 million. Key factors in the accuracy of the estimate were the respondent's gender and level of education: women's estimates were much higher than men's regardless of the group of origin. People with upper secondary education (Abitur) were closer in their estimates to the actual figure than people with lower secondary education (Hauptschule).

Cultural Diversity, Intercultural Openness and Experiences of Discrimination in Berlin. Expertise for the Representative of the Berlin Senate for Integration and Migration.

Expertise | Juni 2014

(Only available in German)

How do different sections of the Berlin public view integration in public schools, the civil service and other areas of public life? The study was published by the Representative of the Berlin Senate for Integration and Migration. It is based on data from SVR’s 2014 Integration Barometer, which surveyed the immigrant and native populations about the same issues.
The analysis shows that people in Berlin are more sensitive to diversity and diversity-related conflicts than those in other parts of Germany. They are sceptical about some issues relating to integration, but also demand that greater efforts are made by policy makers with regard to integration policies and anti-discrimination activities.