Migrants fare badly on the labour market

A study carried out by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has found that in Belgium employment-levels among migrants from outside European Union are among the lowest in Europe. The study that forms the basis of an article in Monday’s edition of the Francophone daily ‘Le Soir’ also says that the situation is worsening here. The OECD cites inequality as the most important factor behind the disadvantaged position migrants find themselves in on the labour market.

The gap between those born here and migrants is larger in Belgium than elsewhere in Europe. The OECD report was handed over to ministers and other interested parties at the end of last week.

The study also revealed big difference in employment levels according to a migrant’s country of origin.

"Employment levels among foreigners from EU countries are generally speaking comparable with people that were born in Belgium.

However, migrants from outside the EU fare noticeably worse with high levels of unemployment and in the case of the women high levels of inactivity”, the report says.

The OECD is currently working of a list of recommendations that it will present to the Belgian government soon. These will include measures to tackle segregation in education and quota for foreigners in the workplace.
 

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