Bulgaria Ranked at Bottom of Migrant Integration Index

Bulgaria is ranked at the bottom of the ranking on policies of migrant integration, taking the 31^st spot out of all 38.

The information has been reported through a study using the Migrant International Policy Index (MIPX). The indicator is calculated after comparing integration policies implemented across the EU, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey and the US.

The study itself has been conducted by the Barcelona Center for International Affairs and the Migration Policy Group and refers to the information by end 2014.

The main components that are taken into consideration concern labor market mobility, family reunion rates, education, health, political participation, permanent residence, access to nationality and anti-discrimination.

According to the research, the situation in Bulgaria has marked only a slight improvement mostly thanks to the implemented EU legislation. The most favorable factors noted are anti-discrimination (89 out of 100), permanent residence (67/100), as well as family reunion rate (64/100).

One of the worst components, however, is connected with integration in the field of education. Bulgaria is separated by two spots from the bottom of the chart. It has also been criticized for not alleviating its citizenship application procedures.

Migrants also experience difficulties when it comes to their access to the labor market, healthcare as well as opportunities for political participation.

One of the severe criticisms has been based on the fact that the migrant integration policies in Bulgaria are mainly aimed at people who have long established their lives in the country as opposed to the newly-migrated people. The Czech Republic, Poland and Greece, on the other hand, have taken up the top of the ranking on account of the system improvements they have implemented.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!