for the Medef, we must “not prohibit ourselves from using immigrant labor in a very regulated and targeted manner”

“There are jobs in demand, for which we must start by better training our young people […] but ultimately, not to prohibit the use of all levels of qualification of immigrant labor, but in a very regulated, very targeted manner” as is the case in Canada or Portugal, said Patrick Martin, president of Medef, on franceinfo Tuesday, September 24. The new Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, declared on Monday “take all means” to do “reduce immigration to France”. “I think that mass immigration is not an opportunity for France”supported the former leader of the LR senators.

“We must introduce an economic and, above all, demographic dimension into this debate”explained Patrick Martin. “Our social security system is based on employment and contributions from companies and employees”recalled the president of the employers’ organization bringing together 190,000 companies. Without the contribution of an immigrant workforce, “Will we be able to finance our social model?”he asked.

At the time of the debates on the immigration bill in December 2023, the head of Medef had launched a call to increase immigration to combat the labor shortage in high-demand professions. A key provision of the law adopted in December 2023, the regularization of undocumented workers in high-demand professions is at the discretion of the prefects. “I trust the prefects”he stressed, recalling that his organization was “against undocumented immigrants”. “On a human level, on a competitive distortion level, it is unacceptable.”he pointed out.