In France, the State called to "modernize" its migration policy

Migrants waiting to be evacuated by the police in Aubervilliers, January 28, 2020. Philippe LOPEZ / AFP

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Work, asylum, expulsions ... The Court of Auditors recommends, in a report published this Tuesday, May 5, a "modernization" of French migration policy, rehabilitating quotas in the process.

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Evictions? Not very effective . »Registration of the asylum application? Too slowly. Work immigration? Must be inspired by the Canadian model. The Court of Auditors' report uses the word " modernization  " thirty times  to review French migration policy.

In this document entitled "  The entry, stay and first reception of foreigners  " , the Court draws up an inventory of a policy including the triptych, immigration control, guarantee of the right of asylum and integration , requires "  more tangible, more precise and more realistic objectives  ".

Starting with those given to the deadlines for registering asylum requests. For several years, the time targets assigned by the State have been stricter than the legal obligations because they are partly designed as signals supposed to discourage unfounded requests  ", notes the independent administrative authority, pointing in particular to the so-called procedures "  Accelerated  ", which must be processed in 15 days but the actual delays noted are 121 days.

Extend the duration of certain residence permits

Among its 14 recommendations for France, which "  receives significantly fewer foreigners than other major Western countries through regular immigration  ", the financial court also suggests "  simplifying the stay regime by extending the duration of certain titles, by automating the renewal of those who lend themselves to them and by reducing the procedural formalities  ”.

In 2018, according to the report, more than three quarters of the first titles had a validity of one year, without this being “  the guarantee of greater selectivity  ”, with refusals of renewal of only 1%.

Canadian model for professional immigration

The professional immigration sector "  could be modernized and diversified by taking inspiration from the Canadian model, based on quantitative multi-year targets  " and "  an individual selection system  ". The Court adopted the controversial notion of quotas for labor migration , which had collapsed in France between 2011 and 2017, before recovering.

It recalls that the list of "  professions in tension  ", supposed to determine the professions for which professional immigration is open, is "  today outdated  ". An obsolescence which made consensus until the government, which planned to revise it.

Skepticism at the Ministry of the Interior

In a response to the Court of Auditors, the Ministry of the Interior was skeptical, evoking a hypothesis "  above all adapted to a country with significant labor needs without the possibility of mobilizing assets already installed  " on the territory. This situation is not that of France (...) which must at the same time ensure the integration into employment of people residing in France, whether French or foreign.  "

In addition, the administrative authority deemed   the government's removal policy " ineffective ", suggesting that it "  put in place the means necessary to increase the number of assisted departures  ". On this point, Place Beauvau did not take over the Court.

► The text of the Court of Auditors' report

► Listen: Immigration to France: an economic benefit

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