The Migratory Patterns of Egyptians in Italy and France

Abstract

In recent years, a new migration stream from Egypt to Europe, especially to Italy and France, has been observed. In this study, an attempt is made to explore Egyptian migratory patterns in these two countries. Firstly, migration statistics and estimates of Egyptians abroad vary according to source. The Egyptian estimates are always higher than the receiving countries’ estimates and, sometimes, estimates vary from one source to another within one country. These discrepancies in the statistics are explored. Secondly, a qualitative research project was carried out in Italy and France to learn about the patterns of Egyptian migration in these two countries. Moreover, migration policies and the living and working conditions of Egyptians in these two destinations are explored. Qualitative methods are utilized through the interviewing of 36 Egyptians in Milan and Paris in 2008. Interviewees were identified utilizing the snowball technique. In addition to the in-depth interviews, group discussions and observations were utilized to fulfill the objectives of this study. After the introductory section, contemporary Egyptian migration is explained in Section II. Section III is devoted to the explanation of the discrepancies between statistics on Egyptian migrants. Section V explores Egyptian migration policies and cooperation on migration. The penultimate section is devoted to the living and working conditions of Egyptians in Milan and Paris, while the last section offers a conclusion.