The trend of immigration policy throughout the world is toward encouraging immigrants provided they are qualified to contribute to the economy of the admitting country, according to a comprehensive analysis of immigration regulations and policy issued by the International Labor Office here today.
The analysis includes an introduction outlining immigration restrictions and regulations in effect at the present time. It also contains a series of 23 monographs covering the major immigration countries and showing both the measures now in effect regulating immigration and controlling the admission of aliens to employment, and official statements of policy.
The report says that the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees is now making arrangements for migration of displaced persons. It reveals that new economic plans in France call for 430,000 foreign workers by the end of this year, and that countries like Belgium and Sweden are also in need of foreign workers. Switzerland is in need of women workers for its textile industry.
In the Union of South Africa, the report says, it has been urged that a policy of recruiting suitable immigrants should be introduced as a matter of national welfare. In New Zealand workers are needed for the coal mines and the lumber industry. In Australia a minimum goal of 35,000 immigrants is the basis of the country’s immigration policy this year.
Immigration trends in some of the principal American countries are outlined in the report as follows:
United States: Nearly 300 bills have been introduced in Congress to change the existing immigration laws, although no definite action has been taken. The report says that “the bills introduced indicate that the divergence of opinion concerning immigration in the new Congress is even wider than before.” Some of the bills would make possible the admission of a larger number of immigrants, particularly displaced persons, through the easing of administrative procedures, but others would make restrictions even tighter.
Canada: When a survey now being made is completed the Government hopes to be able to suggest a general immigration policy. In the meantime, an extension of the regulations permits the admission of farm settlers and workers in other specific industries, such as mining, lumbering and logging. Provision has been made to admit various categories of relatives, including, for example, orphaned nephews and nieces under 18 years of age.
Mexico: Fifteen thousand families have requested admission as agricultural settlers. The Mexican Government has announced that it will give all possible facilities to such immigrants. The whole system of immigration regulations is being reexamined.
Argentina: Persons engaged in agriculture and fishing, industrial technicians and specialized workers will be admitted at the rate of 50,000 per year. It is hoped to admit 5,000 Italian workers, artisans and technicians a month.
Brazil: Technicians and workers in agriculture and industrial production have preference under the immigration laws, and plans are being considered for
Chile: Workers in the metal trades, food processing, textiles, wood-working and related industries, fishermen and land settlers are given preferential treatment.
Venezuela: Forty percent of the 15,000 European immigrants to be admitted in 947 will be farmers. The rest will be artisans, technicians and skilled labor.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
