Since the 1950s IOM has implemented programmes that assist Member States with the integration of migrants as a key component of effective and comprehensive migration management. Integration is defined as the two-way process of mutual adaptation between migrants and host societies in which migrants are included into the social, economic, cultural and political life of the receiving community. As such, integration entails a set of joint responsibilities for migrants and host communities, and, in this broad understanding, incorporates other related notions such as social inclusion and social cohesion. Integration is a cross-cutting and multi-sectoral issue that pertains to policy areas that address the economic, social, legal, cultural, and civic spheres and impacts all aspects of migrants’ lives and their communities. Integration is essential for all stakeholders, not only as a way of providing economic and cultural benefits but also for ensuring the security and stability of societies as a whole.
One of the main challenges of creating an effective integration policy is to make sure that it intersects with other major policy areas, including the protection of migrants’ human rights and equal opportunities, employment and labour market issues, regional development, national security, social cohesion, public health, education, and naturalization and citizenship issues. IOM works with government, non-government and private sector stakeholders in countries of destination and countries of origin to address specific integration challenges, and to develop joint policy strategies and identify concrete support measures.
IOMs Global Approach
IOM supports policies that promote the social, economic and cultural inclusion of migrants within existing legal frameworks in countries of destination. Its focus is on the development of strategies that help migrants to better integrate into new communities as well as on assisting receiving communities to recognize the positive contributions that migrants can make. This two-way integration process is essential for the existence of thriving, multicultural communities.
The IOM Country Office for Austria
Even though integration approaches vary in purpose and scope across countries and regions, IOM Austria supports this two-way integration process through a number of promising and well-established actions:
Link
International Website of IOM “Migrant Integration”
Thematic paper: Integration and social cohesion
Material
Migrant Training Statistics 2017
Contact
Tel.: +43 1 585 33 22 / 24, 14 or 19
E-Mail: integrationvienna@iom.int