The Politics of Seasonal Foreign Worker Admissions to France, 1974-2010

Abstract

In response to the economic crisis of 1973/74 the French government curbed the admissions of seasonal foreign workers. By 2010 the curbs have remained in effect, however, the number of foreign workers authorized to work in French seasonal agriculture under “exceptional circumstances” has been growing. The study inquires about the mechanisms and actors responsible for this gradual policy change. It argues that the gradual expansion of seasonal foreign worker policy admissions to France has been possible due to the remarkable ability of fruit and vegetable growers from the province of Bouches-du-Rhône to expand their pro-seasonal foreign worker advocacy and thereby socialize the key policymakers to the adoption of amendments accounting for gradual policy change.