Chapter 1. Key data on migrant presence and integration in Rome

Key Statistics

Figure 1.1. Cittá Metropolitana di Roma Capitale (equivalent to the TL3 area)

Note: Territorial Level 2 (TL2) consists of the OECD classification of regions within each member country. There are 335 regions classified at this level across 35-member countries. Territorial Level 3 (TL3) consists of the lower level of classification and is composed of 1681 small regions. In most cases, they correspond to administrative regions. Source: OECD (2018), OECD Regional Statistics Database, https://doi.org/10.1787/region-data-en.

National level

Total resident population; 60 589 445 (1 January 2017, ISTAT2)

Foreign resident population: 5 047 028 (1 January 2017, ISTAT3)

In 2017, the presence of irregular migrants represented 8.2% of the total foreign population (ISMU, 2017)

• Country subnational government expenditure as a % of GDP: 28.7% vs. OECD34 average of 40.2%

Cittá Metropolitana di Roma Capitale – Metropolitan City of Rome – ex Provincia di Roma – is composed of 121 municipalities – The Mayor of the metropolitan area is also the mayor of the City of Rome.

• Population of the Metropolitan City: 4.3 million

• Foreigner residents on 1 January 2017: 544 956 persons4

• Non-EU foreign residents: 345 897 as of January 2017, this represents 9.3% of total non-EU residents in Italy (Minister of labour and social policies, 2018)

• 7% of the resident population of the Metropolitan Area of Rome are non-EU citizen

• Number of asylum seekers: 4 063 in 2016 in Metropolitan City of Rome.

• In January 2016, 15 006 non-EU citizens were registered in the Metropolitan City either as either asylum seekers, refugees or subsidiary protection status holders (Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, 2016)

• Employment rate 15-64 year-olds: 66% for immigrant population; 61% for total population in 2015 Metropolitan City of Rome (Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, 2016)

• Unemployment rate: 13% for migrant population; 11% for total population in 2014 Metropolitan City of Rome (Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, 2016)

• 10.7% of all the persons who declared their income tax in Rome were foreigners in 2015 (Metropolitan City of Rome, 2016)

• Percentage of single-owner businesses whose registered owner has non-EU nationality: 18.7% (Metropolitan City of Rome, 2016

• 53.2% of non-EU workers in Rome metropolitan area earn less than EUR 800 per month (Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, 2016)

Comune di Roma Capitale (City of Rome)

Unless otherwise specified, the following data have been provided by the Statistic Unit of the City of Rome in March 2017 (Ragioneria Generale - I Direzione “Sistemi informativi di pianificazione e controllo finanziario” - U.O. Statistica).

• Roma Capitale - Comune di Roma: composed of 15 districts (Municipi)

• Total city population: 2 864 731 (2016)

• 377 217 foreign residents in the City of Rome as of January 2017 (Roma Capitale, 2017)

• Foreign residents represent 13.1% of the total residents in Rome

• 70% of the foreign-born population living in the Roma Metropolitan area are registered in the City of Rome (Comune di Roma)

• Number of unaccompanied minors 340 in 2016 in Metropolitan City of Rome

• The most important countries of origin: Romania, Philippines, Bangladesh, China.

• Educational Attainment (Primary; Secondary; High School, University) – % for foreign residents; % for all resident population

  • Primary: 34.9% of migrant population; 10.9% of all resident population achieved primary level

  • Secondary: 20.3% of migrant population, 10.8% of all resident population achieved secondary education

  • High School: 26.3% of migrant population; 8.5% of all resident population achieved high school level.

  • University: 18.7% of migrant population

Migration flows

The City of Rome

Table 1.1. Foreign residents in the City of Rome (Roma Capitale)
Population	Native population	Foreign resident population	Foreign resident from the EU	Other European foreign residents	Non-European foreign residents	Total population
Number of people	2 499 550	377 217**	181 781***	66 359***	107 620***	2 864 731*
Source: *Istat (2015); ** Roma Capitale (2017); *** Centro Studi e Ricerche IDOS (2016a).

In 2016 44.3%of foreigners () resident in the City of Rome came from Europe the second biggest community of foreign residents originated from Asia (33.3%), followed by Africa (12.0%) and the Americas (10.3%) (Roma Capitale, 2017).

In fact, the top five nationalities of foreign residents in Rome are from a European or Asian country, with 24% of foreigners coming from Romania, followed by three Asian countries, respectively Philippines (11%), Bangladesh (8%) and China (5%). The fifth is Ukraine representing 4% of foreigners.

Foreign distribution across Municipal districts in Rome is diversified. In Municipio (district) I, foreigners represent 24% of the total population whereas in Municipio IX they account for 8.2% (Metropolitan City of Rome, 2016).

Figure 1.2. Percentage of foreign population over total population per district, 2015

Note: The highest concentration of migrant is registered in Municipio I (24.1%, 45 014 foreign residents in 2015); Municipio VI (17%, 43 377 residents in 2015) and Municipio V (15.8%, 39 000 residents in 2015) (Metropolitan City of Rome, 2016).

Source: Anagrafe Roma.

Migration legal framework (See page 75)

In the past the Government regulated migratory flows mainly through the annual flows decree ‘Decreti Flussi’. It checked annually the labour need of the territory, and it established the number of foreigners who could enter the country for work reasons. The Government has often – though not always – been able to manage the flows in advance, and regularisation programmes (Sanatorie) have allowed irregular migrants present in Italy to obtain residence permits. Eight regularisation programmes took place between 1980 and 2012 and a new one was announced for 20186. In 2002, the largest regularisation programme saw around 700 000 applications received, a large share of applications was for domestic work and caregiving, reflecting both the change in the labour market for immigrants and the more favourable eligibility criteria (OECD, 2014). Since 2002, the Bossi-Fini law distinguishes between “clandestine” migrants, that is to say foreigners entering Italy without a regular visa and "irregular" migrants, foreigners who no longer meet residence requirements (permit). According to current legislation, clandestine immigrants are punishable by a fine or detention or by expulsion.

Since 20127 the Integration Agreement (see page 24) came into action and made learning Italian a requirement for obtaining a residence permit exceeding one year for non-EU citizens (excluding international protection applicants, or migrants citing family reasons).

The condition for obtaining Italian citizenship through naturalisation is ongoing, documented residence in Italy for ten years and it depends on the decision of the public administration. The foreigner who is born in Italy, and who resides there for 18 years without any interruption, in order to acquire Italian citizenship, has to declare the willingness to acquire it before his or her 19th birthday. In 2017, a proposal based on the ‘Ius-soli’ principle was discussed in the Parliament to reduce the delay for acquiring citizenship for children of regular migrants born in Italy. The law would give access to citizenship after 16 years of residence for individuals who have done their schooling in Italy. The law has been discussed several times since 1992 and was again rejected in December 2017. Family reunification is granted to all migrants who have a regular permit for work (for at least one year), asylum, subsidiary protection, study, religion, family, long-term stay, or pending naturalisation. There are two requisites to fulfil: having a minimum income, and an adequate accommodation. Beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiarity protection status do not have to fulfil such criteria.