The Circle of Economy calls for regulating immigration.

BarcelonaThe Circle of Economy has decided to address a central issue that sparks debate and even poisons politics: immigration. In an opinion piece, a document through which this organization expresses its views on essential matters, the Circle calls on the PSOE and the PP to reach an agreement to regulate immigration, which, it argues, requires treatment as a matter of national policy. The document, titled The need for a migration policy: production model, integration and social welfareThe Circle criticizes the lack of a "genuine immigration policy" in Catalonia and Spain and the application of "a succession of reactive and fragmented responses," such as the regularization announced by the Spanish government, which it sees as necessary but also as "an acknowledgment of failure, which should not perpetuate past mistakes." One of the Circle's recommendations is to review the "arraigo" (rooting) policy, which is rarely used in other countries and, although conceived as an exception, has become the most common way to obtain residency and employment. Furthermore, it contributes to the precariousness of the labor market, fosters a low-wage economic model in which per capita income does not grow sufficiently, and generates a pull factor that increases irregular immigration. Without specifying how, the Circle advocates "modulating" the entry of immigrants and aligning it with the objective of shifting towards a more productive and less labor-intensive economic model based on low wages.

In the 17-page opinion piece, the first from the board chaired by Teresa Garcia-Milà since July, the Círculo de Bellas Artes (Circle of Immigration) acknowledges the positive effects of immigration, which it predicts will continue to grow. However, it also points out that uncontrolled immigration places "increasing pressure on the housing market" due to the fact that immigrants tend to use their homes less than native-born residents because, on average, they are a younger population. Thus, the document presented this Thursday recommends "adjusting the pace of arrivals to make them compatible with the country's actual capacity for reception and integration" and aligning this with the shift towards a more productivity-driven economic model, rather than one based on mass, low-skilled labor, as has been the case until now. "From a perspective of collective well-being, the commitment should be clear: a more productivity-intensive model, compatible with a more moderate, orderly flow of immigration, aligned with the country's actual needs and capabilities," it states.

In presenting the statement, Garcia-Milà summarized that the aim is to modulate migration flows, review mechanisms such as residency permits, and facilitate the arrival of more qualified personnel, for example, by streamlining the validation of qualifications. He advocated for a "more orderly entry" linked to a more productive economic model. He ruled out promoting "immigration on demand," but rather evaluating how it has been managed until now. Garcia-Milà assured that they are in contact with the political parties, to whom they will send their proposals, and that they are not ruling out Vox and Aliança Catalana. The director general of the Círculo, Miquel Nadal, said that Catalonia today is a "fundamentally different" country than it was in 2000, given that the number of people born outside of Spain has increased from 200,000 to two million. And in Spain the evolution has been similar and, moreover, much faster than in neighboring countries, placing it among the top developed nations, which, instead of a quarter of their population being immigrants, have around 10%.

Populist speeches

Nadal, who advocated aligning "the country's needs and capabilities," admitted that immigration is necessary, but said that its intensity and composition are not determined externally, but rather depend on decisions each country can make. He gave examples: if the retirement age is raised, fewer people will need to arrive. In any case, knowing that immigration will continue to grow, a "well-structured" policy will be necessary, he said. He also noted that the growth of recent years has not increased per capita income and, therefore, progress, and "raises doubts about the viability of the welfare state." He emphasized that the impact of the massive influx of immigrants primarily affects low-income earners and fuels populist rhetoric. In the opinion of the Circle, immigration policy must take into account the desired production model, one in which immigration "grows somewhat less." The debate, he added, is not just for the PP and PSOE parties, but also for all other parties, in the face of the immigration debate "that this country needs."

The Circle, which calls for avoiding both populism, "which simplifies and exploits discontent," and "niceness, which tends to deny real tensions and postpone uncomfortable debates," acknowledges that "greater management capacity in Catalonia could contribute to a more orderly and efficient administration, one that is integrated into a framework consistent with the State and the European Union." The text emphasizes the importance of facilitating the integration of immigrants and strengthening social cohesion. "The key is to ensure equal opportunities through a well-functioning social mobility system," it adds. This requires guaranteeing effective rights of access "to legal employment, education, healthcare, housing, and, progressively, citizenship," through inspections of illegal hiring practices and other measures, as well as facilitating the arrival of qualified talent.

Catalan identity not imposed

In any case, arrival also entails responsibilities, such as "knowledge and use of the Catalan language, as well as the acceptance of basic democratic values—gender equality, the secular nature of the State, respect for human rights, among others." According to the Cercle, "Catalan identity, understood as an open and evolving civic identity, cannot be imposed, but must be built primarily on the foundation of pride in belonging, fostering participation in civic institutions and shared spaces for socialization." And this is a point where public schools have "a strategic role as a driving force for the integration of second generations, but they currently face significant difficulties—not only in terms of resources but also operational challenges—which, if left unaddressed, could end up exacerbating inequalities instead of correcting them." The Cercle also emphasizes the role that local governments must play, adding that they should be "provided with the necessary resources."

"The inertia of the demographic pyramid is very pronounced and would lead first to a decline in the working-age population and, ultimately, to a decrease in the population if it is not offset by an increase in the number of immigrants. The magnitude of these decreases is such that the surely inevitable temporary downward adjustments if the economic cycle worsens—and in that sense, it is undeniable that we can say that more immigration is necessary," he states. In any case, he warns that the country, "from a medium- and long-term perspective, has the capacity to influence the intensity of the flow, modulating its volume and composition." He continues: "In particular, both will depend largely on the socioeconomic model we choose as a country and also on how we modulate key variables that have an impact. Immigration is not, therefore, an exogenous variable over which we have no control."