Occupational Incorporation of Immigrants in Western European Countries

Anastasia Gorodzeisky, Juan March Institute
Moshe Semyonov, Tel Aviv University

The paper examines patterns of occupational attainment of immigrants in 10 European ‘old immigration’ countries. Data from the European Social Survey reveal that occupational status of all first-generation immigrants is lower than that of native born, net of socio-demographic attributes and regardless of gender. Nevertheless, significant differences among sub-groups of immigrants are observed, especially among second generation immigrants. While immigrant men of non-European origin and of Muslim conviction remain occupationally disadvantaged in the second generation, the occupational attainment of second-generation immigrants of European origin, whether men or women, converges with that of native born. By contrast to others, second-generation immigrant women of non-European origin and of Muslim conviction are advantaged in terms of occupational status as compared to native women. The findings are discussed in light of theories of immigrant integration and ethnic inequality.