How to improve the reception of international talent in Paris - Lionel Grotto
As we see it at Expat Communication, more and more international talents are hired in the Paris region. What is the source of this renewed attractiveness? What role did the Ile-de-France region play in this? Interview with Lionel Grotto, Director of Paris Region Enterprise, the agency that promotes the international attractiveness of Paris Region.
We feel that the attractiveness of the region is increasing economically, do you have any figures that confirm this impression?
In 2018, the attractiveness of the Île-de-France Region was strengthened with 409 direct international investments representing 6303 jobs, placing it as the 1st region in continental Europe. The Paris Region is the most attractive metropolis in Europe (37% of decision-makers believe that the Paris Region is the most attractive European metropolis, compared with 34% for London). International investors’ satisfaction with France is at record levels: 81% in 2017, +8 points compared to 2016. These results are all the more remarkable given that according to fDi markets, foreign direct investment to Western Europe fell by 7% in 2018. On the other hand, since 2016, 90 projects have chosen Paris Region as part of BREXIT, which represent 4160 jobs.
What are the causes of this improvement, both internally and externally?
Paris Region has all the characteristics sought after by managers and employees alike: an abundance of available, highly skilled labor (35% of the workforce has five or more years of higher education, compared with the national average of 20%), a diversified, high-quality international educational offering, and infrastructure that is recognized for its excellence worldwide.
It is the leading region in Europe for R&D, innovation and business opportunities: Europe’s highest GDP, the highest concentration in Europe of decision centers of major Fortune500 groups (including London), 160,000 researchers, i.e. twice as many as the 2nd largest region in Europe, €20 billion in R&D spending per year (of which 2/3 is private R&D, that’s 40% of French R&D), 1,200 public and private research laboratories, an exceptional business creation dynamic, easy access to 500 million European consumers and to Africa, a dynamic of urban projects without comparison in Europe thanks to the Grand Paris, the prospect of major events, etc.
Valérie Pécresse had announced at CES in Las Vegas in January 2018 the launch of the “Paris Region Starter Pack”: a scheme that provides relevant international companies with a grant of up to €250,000.
On the other hand, the artificial intelligence challenge launched by the Ile-de-France Region in 2018 was a real success internationally: of the 100 applications received, 31 came from foreign companies.
Why are you interested in the human attractiveness of the region? Have you had any negative signals about this? What are the Region's levers for improving the reception of expatriates in Paris? What is your vision for the future of this process?
Welcoming foreign and expatriate talent to Paris Region is a priority because it is a major factor in the international attractiveness of the region. To make Paris Region the most attractive region in Europe in terms of welcoming and supporting international and expatriate talent, the President of the Region, Valérie Pécresse, and Paris Region Entreprises brought together more than 80 international mobility players (embassies, Pôle Emploi, the Direccte, APEC, Business France and 41 private service providers specializing in banking, insurance, real estate, employment, relocation, etc.) in the new premises of the Paris Region Council in Saint-Ouen.
Paris Region Entreprises would like to thank all the partners who have been involved. This allowed us to take stock of the existing reception offer, to point out the current problems encountered by expatriates, to highlight some successful partnership actions, and above all to identify points for improvement and the next collective actions to be implemented, with the support of the Ile-de-France Region. Many of our partners support this approach and are committed to participating in the upcoming working groups, which will focus on strengthening the support offered to expatriates and foreign talents at various levels of their daily lives in Paris Region: health, education, employment, cultural integration, etc.
The Ile-de-France region is also aware that people in the region have difficulty mastering foreign languages, but this is not inevitable. To address this, the Region is designing a digital learning tool accessible to all, which is expected to launch during April 2019.
Not only that, but the international education offer is also a major factor in the attractiveness of the Paris Region. To help parents planning to settle and send their children to school in the Paris Region, the Paris Region has created a guide to international education, produced in conjunction with the French Ministry of Education, the three Paris Region academies and Paris Region Entreprises. The publication of this guide is an initiative that falls within the framework of the plan put in place by the Ile-de-France Region for a “multilingual Ile-de-France by 2022”.
Interactive guide to international education in Ile-de-France
And finally, a word about the survey?
In order to gain a better understanding of the day-to-day problems encountered by expatriates and to collectively provide the means to address them in a concrete and coordinated manner, Paris Region Entreprises has chosen to partner with thesurvey “Impact of international mobility on the lives and careers of expatriates launched by Expact Communication and the CFE.
For more details on Expat Communication’s role in welcoming international talent to Paris Region, read our article: Expat Communication works with Paris Region Entreprises to welcome international talent.
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Expert in interculturality and coaching
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