The marginalisation of migrants pushes them towards irregular or illegal employment, Italian trade unionist Luca Visentini said this morning at the Migration Dynamics of a European Island State conference in St Julian’s.

EU governments should focus on integrating migrants in the liberal market as repressive measures actually damage the economy, said Mr Visentini, confederal secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation.

Short-term financial and political costs of a more open policy towards migration would be offset by the long-term benefits of integrating migrants into the liberal market, and having them fill gaps in the work force and pay taxes, Mr Visentini said.

The conference was organised by the European Migration Network and co-funded by the EU.

Oxford University demographer Chris Wilson, another keynote speaker, said migration could reduce the impact of ageing populations on European economies.

Among other speakers, transcultural counsellor Suelle Micallef Marmara talked about how adolescent migrants struggle with their identity, as they are not seen as Maltese but family members in their countries of origin view them as foreigners.