Europe Immigration News

Mediterranean and North African countries are losing out because of inefficiency in the way funds are sent home by immigrant workers in Europe, according to a report released March 13.

A study by the European Investment Bank says on average 16 per cent of money sent is lost along the way because recipients and senders do not have access to banks. Use of money transfer companies pushes up transfer costs and means that the funds are not used effectively when they reach the target countries.

Potential immigrants to the Netherlands will be faced with a film showing two men kissing in a park, and a woman in a topless swimsuit, after Wednesday of this week.

The DVD is part of a new entrance test designed to determine if applicants are open to the socially liberal views of the country. Their reaction to the footage will be recorded and used as part of the evaluation process.

Women make up nearly half of the immigrant population world-wide as more and more of them take on greater responsibility for their family's welfare. Of the 180,000,000 international immigrants, almost half are women, many of whom are coming alone without their partners. This is a new trend in immigration patterns. More women are migrating on their own in search of better job markets. The incorporation of women into the paid workforce is one cause behind the rise of women in international immigration.

The 'China towns' of Toronto and Sydney, kebabs in Berlin, or the excellent Indian cuisine in London are now a daily reality for those who live in these cities. But immigration in Australia, Canada and Europe has given life to multiculturally diverse societies. Apart from the gastronomic benefits, what are the pivotal points of the Canadian and Australian models? Cafebabel.com presents an analysis.Sydney and Toronto: welcome to globalised cities

Fewer South Koreans are choosing to immigrate from South Korea, due mainly to the country's economic development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on March 6.

A total of 8,277 citizens emigrated last year, down from 9,759 in 2004, 11,584 in 2001 and 15,917 in 1995, according to the ministry's data.

"The reduction seems attributable to South Korea's economic growth and continued tightening of foreign countries' immigration-related regulations," a ministry official said.

The free movement of workers within the European Union supports the development of Europe, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said after meeting with his Czech counterpart Jiri Paroubek (senior governing Social Democrats, CSSD) in Prague this week.

The Finnish government has decided that Finland will lift the restrictions on new EU-member states to its labour market as of this May.