La politique d`immigration de la France (anglais)

November 2007
French immigration policy
France is a country with traditionally a large amount of immigration. There were
immigration peaks after the First World War and then in the 1960s until 1974. Since then, the
proportion of immigrants in the total population has remained stable. But migration pressure is
still felt at borders. Moreover, France has become the leading European host country for
asylum seekers following a sharp increase in applications for asylum from 1997 to 2003. This
trend has sharply declined since 2006.
IMMIGRATION
FIGURES
In 2004, France’s National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE)
registered 4.9 million immigrants in France, amounting to 8.1% of the population. The main
countries of origin are Algeria, Morocco and Portugal. The INSEE has also observed that 60% of
immigrants are concentrated in three regions: Ile-de-France (40%), Rhône-Alpes (11%) and
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (9%).
LEGISLATION
French government immigration-related action really began with the passing of the Order
of 2 November 1945 that was often modified between 1974 (date on which borders were closed
following the oil crisis) and 2005. For France, which must both address migration pressure and
join the process for the harmonization of European legislation, has embarked on a reform
process.
Law 2003-1119 of 26 November 2003 on immigration control, the residence of aliens
in France and nationality aims to ensure the "generous welcome of immigrants" and "to
strengthen the fight against illegal immigration rings without which a proper welcome cannot be
extended to immigrants". This law reformed in particular the "double penalty" system and made
it a requirement to take account of aliens' real integration into French society. The principal
measures for combating illegal immigration include the creation of databases of fingerprints
and photographs of aliens applying for a residence permit or a visa, and imposes penalties for
marriages and paternity of convenience.
© Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes / French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, 2007
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Law 2003-1176 of 10 December 2003 reformed asylum procedures. It aims to
reduce the time-limit for processing asylum applications by unifying asylum procedures and
refocusing them around an overhauled French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless
Persons (OFPRA).
Law 2006-911 of 24 July 2006 on immigration and integration provides for "selective
immigration", i.e. for the possibility of choosing labour to meet the needs of the French
economy and welcoming aliens "with an economic, scientific, cultural or humanitarian project".
This law also promotes the programmes for foreign students. Concerning private immigration,
the law strengthens the fight against marriages of convenience and changes conditions for
family reunification. Concerning integration, the law makes it a requirement to sign a
"Reception and Integration Contract" (Contrat d'accueil et d'intégration – CAI) instituted under
the 2005 Social Cohesion Plan. Finally, concerning regularisation and the fight against illegal
immigration, the law abolishes de facto regularisation after ten years of illegal residence on
French territory and combines the refusal of residence and deportation order into a single
decision. The law also created a co-development savings account to enable persons from
developing countries who are living in France and holders of a resident permit to save money by
giving them a tax break when they invest this money in their countries of origin.
Since Nicolas Sarkozy was elected president in 2007, immigration policy has been carried
out by the Ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Co-Development.
Its duties were defined in Decree no. 2007-999 of 31 May 2007 : to control migration,
encourage co-development, further integration and promote the French identity.
Law 2007-1637 of 20 November 2007 on immigration control, integration and
asylum aims to fight illegal immigration, limit entry and residence requirements in
France, control family immigration and encourage immigration for professional
reasons. As regards family immigration, the law added four principles to the existing system.
The future immigrant must have a certain level of income, which will be laid down by law, to be
considered eligible for family reunification; pass a test on the French language level and values
of the Republic, or if not, have had enough training to be able to join his or her family in France;
ensure the integration of his or her children under the “Reception and Integration Contract for
Families”; undergo genetic testing (DNA test) for citizens of countries where there are serious
doubts as to whether birth and marriage certificates are authentic, for foreign applicants for
family reunification, on a trial basis for 18 months.
© Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes / French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, 2007
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For more information
WEBSITES
Ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Co-Development
http://premier-ministre.gouv.fr/iminidco/
National Agency for the Reception of Foreigners and Migration (ANAEM)
http://www.anaem.fr/
French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA)
http://www.ofpra.gouv.fr/
Museum on the History of Immigration in France
http://www.histoire-immigration.net/
REPORTS
Law of 20 November 2007 on immigration control, integration and asylum. - Vie
publique website. - La Documentation française, November 2007.
http://www.vie-publique.fr/actualite/panorama/texte-discussion/projet-loirelatif-maitrise-immigration-integration-asile.html
Chronique de la politique d’immigration en 2006 - Rupture, transition ou
continuité ? : dossier d’actualité. - Vie publique website. - La Documentation française, March
2007.
http://www.vie-publique.fr/politiques-publiques/immigration-2006/index/
Immigration et politique migratoire : dossier. – La Documentation française website,
January 2007.
http://www.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/dossiers/immigration/index.shtml
Immigration : vers une politique d’immigration choisie ? : dossier d’actualité. - Vie
publique website. - La Documentation française, July 2006.
http://www.vie-publique.fr/actualite/dossier/immigration-choisie/immigrationvers-politique-immigration-choisie.html
La politique d’immigration (1974-2005) : dossier. - Vie publique website. - La
Documentation française, March 2005.
http://www.vie-publique.fr/politiques-publiques/politique-immigration/index/
KEY
FIGURES
Key figures on immigrants in France. – INSEE website.
http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/accueil_ffc.asp?souspop=4
Immigration et présence étrangère en France en 2005 : rapport annuel de la Direction
de la population et des migrations, Corinne Régnard. - Ministère de l'emploi, de la cohésion
sociale et du logement, décembre 2006, 264 p.
© Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes / French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, 2007
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Code de l’entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d’asile. - Journaux Officiels,
2007.
De l'immigration à l'intégration : Des solutions locales à un défi mondial. - OCDE,
2007.
Les orientations de la politique d'immigration : quatrième rapport établi en application de
l'article L.111-10 du code de l'entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d'asile, Comité
interministériel de contrôle de l'immigration. - La Documentation française, 2007, 232 p.
http://www.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/rapportspublics/074000765/index.shtml
Politique de l'immigration. - Regards sur l'actualité, no. 326, December 2006.
L’immigration, Laetitia Van Eeckhout. - Odile Jacob / La Documentation française, collection
« Débat public », December 2006.
Besoin de main d'oeuvre et politique migratoire, Centre d'analyse stratégique. - La
Documentation française, May 2006, 143 p.
http://lesrapports.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/BRP/064000296/0000.pdf
Les immigrés en France. - Insee Références, September 2005.
Synthèse : http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/docs_ffc/IP1042.pdf
Les immigrés dans la société française. - Problèmes politiques et sociaux, no. 916,
September 2005.
Immigration : les impacts sur le marché du travail. - Problèmes économiques, no. 2851,
May 2004.
© Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes / French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, 2007
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