REGINE Regularisations in Europe Final Report - European ...

Figure 3
Grants of regularised status through mechanisms, EU (27), 1996–2007
16 Member States provided information on 28 mechanisms existing in those countries, although only
13 countries gave details on criteria used in respect to 23 mechanisms. The importance of various
criteria or conditions in these mechanisms is shown in Table 4 below:
Table 4: Importance of selected criteria in regularisation mechanisms
Specific criteria Essential Desired Not relevant
Presence in the territory before a certain date 6 0 14
Length of residence 5 4 10
Family ties 6 7 8
Ethnic ties 1 2 16
Nationality 1 1 17
Evidence of integration efforts 1 13 6
Lack of a criminal record 13 4 5
Employment 6 6 8
Health condition 5 3 13
Other 8 0 2
For most mechanisms ‘a lack of criminal record’ is seen as essential to benefit from regularisation.
Moreover, ‘length of residence’ and ‘presence in the territory before a certain date’ are seen as
essential. Additionally, ‘employment’, ‘family ties’ and ‘health condition’ are frequently cited.
‘Evidence of integration efforts’ is definitely the most important issue which is seen as ‘desired’ for
regularisation through a mechanism. It was by far mentioned most often as ‘desired’ but only once as
‘essential’ and only 6 times as ‘not relevant’.
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