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Employment and working conditions of migrant workers — France

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The question of the working conditions of "migrants" relates to quite complex issues in France. Referring to the formal definition of "migrants" (non nationals) leads to keep in the shade the major problems of discrimination at work towards the "visible minorities", as those are in large part French citizens. Within a lack of ethnical statistics, the knowledge on the actual situation of "migrants" (in the wide meaning) compared to that of natives is difficult to apprehend. The main point is that, migrants tend to concentrate more than natives in unqualified jobs, with precarious employment status. The fact that even in the "second generation" is concerned by this situation highlights the difficulties of the French educational system to offer social integration and promotion for those who do not benefit of a favourable family background (high educated parents, with a network of professional relations).

This Report intends to investigate the employment and working conditions of migrant workers, that is of persons who migrate from one country to another for any reasons and work as employees or self-employed in the country of destination. Clearly, migrants workers include both EU citizens and non-EU citizens moving from their country of origin to one of the countries covered by this study. In other words, you should consider both migration across EU member states, Bulgaria, Romania and Norway and (im)migration from outside this area. The general objective is to compare the employment and working conditions of non-nationals and nationals

Please stick as much as possible to the definition above. However, if this definition does not reflect an interest or the debate on migrants’ working conditions in your country, consider whether using a narrower (eg only non-EU citizens) or broader definition (eg also migrants who acquired your country’s nationality and “second generations”) would provide insights on the employment and working conditions of migrants workers or on the closely related issue of workplace discriminations based on ethnicity. In the latter case, you should report data and information on these narrower or broader groups, stating clearly the definition of migrants you are using and providing indications on how the employment and working conditions of such groups can approximate those of migrants workers as defined above.

This study aims to analyse quality of work and employment of migrants in the European Union, Bulgaria, Romania and Norway. In particular, it will cover:

  • The distribution of migrant workers, by gender, across sectors and occupations, with a view to identify possible concentrations and their reasons, such as skill shortages filled by migrants (like in healthcare), or difficulties in filling positions in some jobs with lower skilled roles.

  • The contractual relations of migrants

  • An assessment of working conditions of migrants.

  • Entry job positions, training and career opportunities.

Answers to this questionnaires should refer to data sources other than those already integrated in Eurostat data sets. Of course, this information will be included in the final report, but the authors will access these data sets directly, with a view to concentrate your efforts on less accessible sources. In practice, you should not refer to Population and Labour Force statistics provided by your national statistical service, as long as they are already included in the Eurostat data sets. This means that questions 2.1, 2.3 and 2.4 should be answered only if sources other that those already integrated in the Eurostat data sets are available and significant.

Before responding to this questionnaire, you may want to check at the following Eurostat web pages the presence and scope of your country’s data which are already available:

Population and social conditions, under:

  • Population and International migration and asylum;

  • Labour market.

General and regional statistics, under:

  • Regions and Migration statistics.

As a consequence, your answers should refer to any specific research or studies carried out by public or private bodies, selecting the most authoritative and relevant ones in terms of significance and/or coverage. Please, consider both quantitative and qualitative studies in order to cover the different issues addressed by the questionnaire. Qualitative data may replace or complement quantitative data. You will list such sources in Section 1. We are looking for national information on migrants’ working conditions based on validated sources. You will provide this information under Section 2. Please, keep into account that the questionnaire is quite open and leaves ample space for specific national input, with a view to provide a picture as complete as possible of the employment and working conditions of migrants workers and of the national debates on such issue in the countries covered by the present study. Section 3 gives room to illustrate national contexts and provide further information and comments on sources and on the presence/lack of data.

Of course, any information or analyses carried out by national statistical offices on Population or Labour Force data-sets which integrate or complement standard data should be covered (for instance, ad-hoc analyses on the labour market conditions of migrants workers recently released by a national statistical office should be included).

Please provide clear and complete references of data sources.

Preamble:

To ensure that this national contribution can constitute a document readable on a stand alone basis, we have chosen to use a certain number of sources available on Eurostat. In fact, these sources are essential to obtain a grasp on the issue of immigration in France (size, origins, etc.).

In this document, the term “migrants” is used to identify the following population groups:

  • who are persons born with a foreign nationality in a foreign country. This group includes both:  

    • “foreigners” or foreign residents, who still have a foreign nationality,

    • "French immigrants", who have acquired the French nationality

  • persons of immigrant background”, or "second generation", who are French by jus soli (birth, residence) but with at least one parent being an immigrant. Their situation is given special attention in this report as they are a specific subject of concern.

Due to the application of jus soli and the concept of universal human rights in France, to date there have been few specific studies segmented along the lines of nationality or origin.

The question of having "ethnic statistics" has been put on the forefront of the debate since the social unrest of November 2005, and is taken in charge by the Committee of Strategic Action of the Prime Minister (cf. http://www.strategie.gouv.fr/article.php3?id_article=339).

1. Sources of information on migrant workers

  1. Are there studies or analyses in your country which cover the employment and working conditions of migrant workers?

    If so, please specify for each of these sources:

    1. The type: 1) specific chapters in general working conditions’ surveys; 2) ad-hoc surveys on migrants’ working conditions; 3) case studies - ie studies of specific situations, such as on certain nationalities, local areas and the like - on migrants’ working conditions, 4) other relevant reports on migrants’ working conditions which have been regularly or recently published.

    2. the authors of such studies or analyses (national statistical office - only if distinct from regular surveys which are included in Eurostat data sets, like Labour Force Surveys -, labour inspectorates, bodies responsible for health and safety at the workplace, social security bodies, other public bodies, employers, trade unions and NGOs, universities or research institutes);

    3. the definition of migrant worker they use. Are migrant workers who acquired citizenship or “second generations” included in such definition?;

    4. at which level these studies are carried out (national, sector, regional, other); and

    5. present briefly the methodology and structure of such studies or analyses, including the scope and focus of the questions on migrant workers.

    6. If available, please provide links to relevant websites.

1 BORREL Catherine, "Enquêtes annuelles de recensement 2004 et 2005" - Insee Première No.1098 – August, 2006. http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/ipweb/ip1098/ip1098.pdf

National survey

2 Bienvenue au sénat:  "Immigration clandestine" 2005

http:// www.senat.fr/rap/r05-300-1

3 Labour Force Survey 2005, INSEE

http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/accueil_ffc.asp?theme=3&souspop=4

National statistics

4 "Les quatrièmes Entretiens de l’emploi. Migrations internationales et gestion de l’emploi" - OBSERVATOIRE DE L’ANPE, October, 2005, 238 pages

http://www.anpe.fr/observatoire/actes/emploi_migrations_38.html

Report: Atelier No.4 L’impact des migrations sur les normes d’emploi – pp. 153-156, Illegal immigrant labour (Author: Thierry PRIESTLEY)

5 "Analyse de la verbalisation du travail illégal en 2005" - DéLéGATION INTERMINISTéRIELLE à LA LUTTE CONTRE LE TRAVAIL ILLéGAL, 2006, 23 pages

Report

6 REGNARD Corinne - ''Immigration et présence étrangère en France en 2004'', DIRECTION DE LA POPULATION ET DES MIGRATIONS, Ministère de l’emploi, 02/2006, 261 pages

Report: Chapter 8: “Immigration et Travail”

7 CHAZALLE (Joëlle) – "Les demandeurs d’emploi étrangers" - OBSERVATOIRE DE L’ANPE, March, 2005, 24 pages. http://www.anpe.fr/observatoire/IMG/pdf/DEetrangers.pdf

National study

Workers of foreign nationality

Author: Agence nationale pour l’emploi

8 ‘‘Les immigrés accèdent moins à la formation professionnelle continue", FORMATION ET EMPLOI, No. 94, 09/2003, pp. 93-109

Authors : Didier Gélot and Claude Minni

Survey "Formation Qualification Professionnelle 2003"

Immigrants and second generation

9 "Quand l’école est finie … Premiers dans la vie active de la génération 98" – CEREQ, March, 2001, 80 pages. http://www.cereq.fr/cereq/ecolefinie/sommaire.htm

National study

Author: Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications

Second generation

10 Adia, Observatoire des discriminations - "Enquête testing sur CV" - CERGORS – May, 2004

http://cergors.univ-paris1.fr/docsatelecharger/pr%E9sentation%20du%20testing%20mai%202004.pdf

Local study

Author/ Jean-François AMADIEU, Observatoire des discrimination (Université Paris 1)

Foreign ethnic background

11 "Quand l’école est finie … Premiers dans la vie active de la génération 2001" – CEREQ, 2005, 92 pages. http://www.cereq.fr/pdf/QEEF2001.pdf

National study

Author: Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications

Second generation

12 FRICKEY (Alain), MURDOCH (Jake), PRIMON (Jean-Luc) - ''Les jeunes issus de l'immigration. De l'enseignement supérieur au marché du travail'', BULLETIN DE RECHERCHE SUR L'EMPLOI ET LA FORMATION, No. 205, 02/2004, 4 pages

www.cereq.fr/cereq/b205.pdf

National survey analysis

Second generation

Author: Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications

13 BORGOGNO Victor, FRICKEY Alain, PRIMON Jean-Luc et al. - "Identification des discriminations dans l’accès à l’emploi des diplômés du supérieur issus de l’immigration" - Migrations études, No.124, July, 2004, 12 pages

http://www.unice.fr/urmis-soliis/Docs/Migrations_etudes_124.pdf

Regional study (PACA) / second generation

Author: Agence pour le développement des relations interculturelles/ADRI

14 ''Les immigrés en France, édition 2005'', EDITIONS INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA STATISTIQUE ET DES ETUDES ECONOMIQUES, 2005, 161 pages (Collection Insee Références)

Compilation of results of national surveys

15 TAVAN (Chloé) - ''Les immigrés en France : une situation qui évolue'', INSEE PREMIERE, n° 1042, 09/2005, 4 pages. http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/docs_ffc/IP1042.pdf

Analysis relating to immigrants in France, national statistical study

Immigrants / second generation

16 LAINE (Frédéric), OKBA (Mahrez) - ''Jeunes de parents immigrés : de l'école au métier'', TRAVAIL ET EMPLOI, No. 103, 09/2005, pp. 79-93

Study based on the Génération 98 study by the CEREQ

Author: DARES, Direction de l’animation de la recherche, des études et des statistiques

Second generation

17 DUPRAY Arnaud, MOULLET Stéphanie – "L'insertion des jeunes d'origine maghrébine en France : des différences plus marquées dans l'accès à l'emploi qu'en matière salariale", CEREQ, May, 2004, 35 p.

http://www.cereq.fr/pdf/Net-Doc-6.pdf

Study based on the Génération 98 survey

Author: Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications

Second generation

2. Information on migrant workers

Please present the results of the above mentioned studies and analyses. The questions below provide indications on the aspects we would like you to cover in your answers, if relevant and significant information are available. If the variables used in your sources do not match precisely the ones indicated below, use those available, providing a brief description if needed.

Questions 2.1, 2.3 and 2.4 should be answered only if sources other that those already integrated in the Eurostat data sets are available and significant (see the introductory section for the Eurostat web pages which should be consulted).

In each case, state clearly the source and, if available, provide relevant links.

Moreover, indicate whether data include illegal migration and, whenever possible, distinguish between legal and illegal migrants.

2.1 Migrant population (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

  1. Total number (by gender, age, nationality, education level).

  2. As a percentage of total population (by gender, age, nationality, education level).

(Source 1)

There were a total of 4.9 million immigrants in France in mid-2004, representing 8% of the French population. This group included:

  • million foreigners (60% of immigrants)

  • 2 million immigrants who have acquired French nationality

The proportion of immigrants in the French population has been increasing slightly over the past 30 years, + 18% in 15 years. Of 4.9 million immigrants, 1.7 million come from Europe (EU and non-EU) and 1.5 million are natives of North Africa.

Due to the policy of family reunification, there are as many women as men.

The origins of this population have changed: more and more foreigners are coming from further away - from Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia – with a decline in the former migration flows from Spain and Italy.

2.2 Illegal immigration (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

  1. Please provide all data/estimates available concerning:

    1. Total number.

    2. Nationality.

    3. Distribution by sectors.

    4. Distribution by occupations.

  2. Please briefly illustrate the methodology used to collect/generate such data/estimates.

(Source 2)

In 2006, the Ministry of the Interior estimated the number of “illegals” at between 200,000 and 400,000.

Between 80,000 and 100,000 additional illegal migrants enter France each year. For several years now, these flows have been dominated by five nationalities - Romanians, Chinese, Moroccans, Albanians, Congolese and, recently, Angolans.

2.3 Migrant active population (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

  1. Total number (by gender, age, nationality, education level).

  2. As a percentage of active population (by gender, age, nationality, education level).

  3. Employed (by gender, age, nationality, education level).

  4. As a percentage of total employment (by gender, age, nationality, education level).

  5. Specific rates of: participation, employment, unemployment (by gender, age, nationality, education level).

  6. Do the abovementioned indicators vary significantly according with the nationality of migrant workers (for instance, a certain nationality is significantly more or less represented in active population or unemployment? If such variations exist, which are the reasons put forward to explain them?

(Source 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9))

In 2005, there were 2.3 million immigrants in the working population, of whom 43% were women (a rising rate).

The rate of unemployment of immigrants is twice as high as that of persons of French origin (19% against 10% in 2003) whereas that of the second generation is between the two. Immigrants who have acquired French nationality are less affected by unemployment (16% against 21% for those who have maintained their original nationality). North African nationals are the most heavily penalised – around three out of ten in the working population - irrespective of whether they are immigrants or descendents of immigrants - are unemployed.

With regard to exit from unemployment to take up declared employment, in 2004, foreigners were heavily penalised - 12% only against 25% for their French peers.

Moreover, the second generation from North Africa leaving the education system in 1998 with a University level diploma was disadvantaged compared with young French people – and also second generation from Southern Europe – in respect of several points: the time required to obtain a first position, access to short-term contracts, part-time and temporary positions and the length of time spent unemployed.

2.4 The distribution of migrant workers across sectors and occupations (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

  1. Are migrant workers over- or under-represented in specific sectors or occupations? If so, specify which sectors and occupations. Please distinguish whenever relevant or possible between men and women.

  2. What are the possible reasons of such over- or under-representation? Are specific skill shortages filled by migrants? Are there specific policies devised to attract migrant workers in certain sectors or occupations? Please distinguish whenever relevant or possible between men and women.

  3. Does the presence in the different sectors or occupations vary significantly according with the nationality of the migrant workers (for instance, a certain nationality is significantly more or less represented in cleaning, health, or in managerial position or in elementary occupations? If such variations exist, which are the reasons put forward to explain them?

(Source 3, 14, 15 and, 16)

In 2005, 60% of immigrants in the working population with employment worked in the tertiary sector (business services), 20% in construction and 18% in industry.

52% of immigrant men and 23% of women hold blue collar positions (against 37% and 10% respectively amongst non-immigrants).

Women immigrants are notable for their strong presence in direct services to private individuals (childcare assistants, cleaning women, etc.) - 26% against 11%.

Young of North African origin are those most likely to fill an unskilled job position. Indeed, 41% of young men with a father from North Africa have an unskilled job against 25% for those with a French-born father and 28 % for those with a father of Southern European origin. This is due, for a large part to the level of qualification reached (cf.hereunder).

2.5 The contractual relations of migrants (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

  1. Extent of undeclared employment (men, women). As a reference, please provide the same indicators for nationals.

    (Sources 4 and 5)

    There were few changes in illegal labour immigration between 1995 and 2004. We found no figures. There is a correlation between recruitment difficulties linked to certain sectors (building and construction, hospitality and catering, retail, agriculture, etc.) and the illegal employment of foreigners. It is noteworthy that the unauthorised employment of foreigners is not the cause of a very marked competition with French workers.

    Another form of illegal labour is emerging at an exponential rate and is reaching, according to certain observers, higher levels than the previous case. This concerns the secondment to France in the context of the free provision of services (in building and construction, transport and agricultural sectors, etc.) of employees from European Union countries (Belgium, Britain, Portugal and Poland for 21%). The duration of contracts may be for up to three or four years, which is illegal in terms of social security and French labour law. In addition, there is often a deterioration of working and employment conditions for these persons (salary levels, delays in payment, etc.).

  2. Employment status: self-employed with employees, self-employed without employees, employee (men, women). As a reference, please provide the same indicators for nationals.

  3. Type of contract: open-ended, fixed-term, temporary agency work (men, women). As a reference, please provide the same indicators for nationals.

    (Sources 3, 7, 9, 12 and 13)

    As for the overall group of unemployed persons having found a new job in 2003, approximately one third of foreigners were employed on a fixed-term contract. They were hired on the basis of an permanent contract slightly less frequently (29% against 34% of French persons) and more frequently for temporary assignments (21% against 16%).

    Concerning young of second generation, the observation is relatively similar – precarious contracts are slightly more common for this group than for French persons. For those who have reached higher education, fixed-term contracts, temporary assignments, subsidised positions, etc. make up 61% of first jobs for young people of French origin, 66 % for those with a Southern European immigrant background and 70 % for those of North African origin.

  4. Duration of contracts in case of temporary employment (average) (men, women). As a reference, please provide the same indicators for nationals.

  5. Retention: employment with the same employer after 12 months (men, women). As a reference, please provide the same indicators for nationals.

  6. Working hours: full-time, part-time, (men, women). As a reference, please provide the same indicators for nationals.

    (Sources 9 and14)

    In 2002, immigrants were slightly more frequently employed on a part-time basis than other members of the working population (19% against 16%), particularly women.

    For young of second generation having left the education system in 1998 with a University level diploma, the proportion employed on a part-time basis, for a first job, is slightly greater:

    1. - North Africa: 27%

    2. - Southern Europe: 23%

    3. - France: 18 %

  7. Diffusion of “second jobs” (men, women) and the professional status in the further job(s) (men, women).

  8. Do the abovementioned dimensions vary significantly according with the nationality of the migrant workers (for instance, a certain nationality is significantly more or less represented in undeclared, work, self-employment, temporary employment and so on? If such variations exist, which are the reasons put forward to explain them?

A survey concerning the access to interviews after the sending of a C.V. confirms the discrimination in access to employment. The reference applicant, male, with French or European-sounding names, was called for 75 job interviews whereas the applicant, displaying an equivalent level of skills and qualifications, but with North African names was called for only 14 job interviews.

The Génération 2001 survey concerning young persons leaving the education system in 2001 showed that 22% of young persons of second generation felt that they had been subject to employment discrimination (against 9% of young persons with French-born parents). The feeling of discrimination correlates to the country of origin of the parents: 32% of young persons with at least one parent born in North Africa and 27% for black Africa against 10% for Southern Europe.

(Sources 10 and 11)

2.6 Working conditions of migrants (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

Please distinguish per nationality whenever relevant.

  1. Wage levels, compared with national workers;

    (Sources 14 and 17)

    The difference in the net monthly salary of immigrants (€1,300 against €1,500 for non-immigrants, i.e., a gap of 15% - which decreases to 9% for young of second generation) can be explained by the type of jobs held (part-time for women, poorly-paid, unskilled jobs) and not by their origins.

    Therefore, among skilled workers employed full-time, the average salary of immigrant men is very close to that of non-immigrants with the same level of qualifications (-3%).

  2. The incidence of low-paid jobs (that is, according to the OECD definition, jobs which pay less than two-third of the median wage), compared with national workers.

  3. Working hours, compared with national workers:

    • hours usually worked per week, including overtime;

    • hours of overtime work per week;

    • of long working hours (more than 10 hours a day);

    • of work at unsocial hours (night, weekend);

    • of work on shifts;

    • migrant workers having more than one job, average hours worked per week in such further jobs.

  4. Exposure to risks and accidents at work:

    • accident rates for migrant workers and, as a reference, for nationals;

    • and occupations where risks of accidents for migrant workers are higher;

    • conditions (vibration, noise, high/low temperatures etc.) in the three sectors where migrant workers are mostly present in your country.

  5. Health outcomes, work-related health problems and occupational illnesses:

    • illness rates for migrant workers and, as a reference, for nationals;

    • and occupations where risks of work-related health problems for migrant workers are higher.

  6. Existence of information on risks, health and safety at the workplace in the national language of the migrants.If such information is present:i) what is the basis of this presence (law, collective bargaining, firm policy, other);ii) is it present in every sector or workplace? If no, please specify in which sectors and/or workplaces it is present;iii) are there any specific initiatives, including training, on health and safety at the workplace devised specifically for migrant workers? If yes, please specify the initiators and content of such initiatives and whether they are implemented using the language of the migrant workers.

  7. Individual disputes at the workplace which involve migrant workers and, as a reference, nationals.

2.7 Level of education and occupational position: over-qualification and under-qualification (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

Please distinguish per nationality whenever relevant.

  1. The present job position of migrant workers appears to be adequate to their level of education? With reference to this aspect, what is the condition of nationals?

(Sources 1, 3 and 11)

In the LFS 2005, it is remarkable that in the working population between the ages of 15 and 64, the current proportion of workers with more than two years of post-secondary study diplomas is equal for immigrants (13%) and non-immigrants (12%). Today’s immigrants are much more qualified than those of before – as the proportion of this group who hold a higher education diploma has risen from 6% to 24%. However, immigrants are still much more highly-represented in the population without qualifications (48% against 23% for non-immigrants).

The second generation generally have a shorter school background than others.

Level of education reached by young who got out of the education system in 1998
Table Layout
  Origin of the father
South. Europe North Africa French-native
M W M W M W
No qualification 8,1 6,3 23,7 14,9 7,5 5,5
Technical school and vocational training (no diploma) 9,7 4,4 16,6 10,9 5,7 3,6
Technical school and vocational training (qualified) 27,4 21,4 19,5 19,9 20 15,1
End of secondary studies (no diploma) 8,5 4,2 8,4 5,9 6 3,8
End of secondary studies (qualified) 22,1 29,6 18,9 27,9 24,5 27,7
Under-graduate (qualified) 14,9 14,8 6,8 12 17,5 22,3
Graduate (qualified) 4,7 13,6 3,8 6 7,8 13,7
Post-graduate (qualified) 4,5 5,7 2,1 2,5 10 8,3

Source : survey Génération 98, CEREQ

Also, while the global rate of failure in higher studies is of 25%, it is 29% for second generation from Southern Europe, and reaches 46% for those from North Africa. And, when they go on the job market, they more frequently face precarious employment conditions, partially compensated by access to subsidised contracts (23 % of young with North African origin have had such a contract in the 3 first years of working, and 14 % for others).

2.8 Participation in training and possibilities for competence development (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

Please distinguish per nationality whenever relevant.

  1. What is the rate of participation to training during working time of migrant workers (average over the last 12 months) and, as a reference, of nationals?

  2. Is the access to other possibilities of competence development (such as apprenticeship) of migrant workers equivalent to that of nationals?

(Sources 8 and14)

In 2003, 23% of immigrants participated in on-gong vocational training against 43% of French. North Africans were even more disadvantaged (17%).

Conversely, immigrants trained were involved in activities which were rather longer and more qualifying than for average trainees.

Similarly, the higher the position within organisational hierarchies, the less pronounced are the gaps. Amongst unskilled workers, 9% of immigrants received training against 18% whereas for management staff 44% received training against 56%.

The situation for second generation is close to that of persons of French origin.

Unemployed immigrants receive more training, in particular, long-term training, than French unemployed, due to their poorer level of education.

2.9 Career development (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

Please distinguish per nationality whenever relevant.

  1. Entry occupations and the pace of career development (compared with those of nationals).

  2. Do migrant workers have access to career advancements on an equal basis with nationals?

  3. Are there data/information on discrimination in careers between migrants and nationals? If yes, please provide a brief summary of the evidence.

For unqualified employees, only 19% of immigrants received a promotion between 1990 and 1999 against 27% of non-immigrants. This in part results from the types of occupations (concierges, domestic workers, etc.) which offer few possibilities for development.

Amongst qualified industrial workers, this gap between immigrants and nationals is of six points.

2.10 Union representation and collective bargaining (including recent trends in the 2000-2005 period)

Please distinguish per nationality whenever relevant.

  1. Do migrant workers concentrate in non-union workplaces or in less-than-average unionised sectors? If yes, please provide some details.

  2. Do migrant workers concentrate in workplaces or sectors where collective bargaining coverage is lower than average? If yes, please provide some details.

  3. Union membership and presence among trade union representatives of migrant workers.

2.11 Any other information on employment and working conditions of migrant workers which is relevant for your country. Please distinguish per nationality if relevant.

Immigrants and their descendents are more affected by poorer employment conditions (unemployment, precariousness) than nationals. This is partially due to insufficient qualification, and to the type of occupation they access to, but not always since qualified immigrants and their children face more difficulties for their insertion on the job market.

Actually, the major problem of discrimination concerns young people of second generation, particularly North Africans. Some of them have succeeded in undertaking higher studies and aspire to have the same living conditions as the rest of the population, but face difficulties even greater than those met by other young people in obtaining stable jobs corresponding globally to their level of qualifications.

Another part of the young with North African parents find themselves confronted with an even more serious problem as they leave the education system without qualifications. This second aspect raises the key question of the capacity of the French education system to provide an education and a minimum qualification for all persons, whatever the cultural and social contexts of their families (amongst the young originated from North Africa in higher studies 46 % have a father working as industrial worker and 5 % as manager, against respectively 20 % and 18 % for the French natives).

To deal with this growing concern, the HALDE (Haute Autorité de Lutte contre les Discriminations) was founded, an organism which provides administrative support to persons discriminated against to bring complaints before a tribunal and encourages companies to develop policies of diversity. Also, the legislative arsenal has been strengthened (for example, the Law of 31 March, 2006 concerning “Equality of opportunity and the Struggle against forms of Discrimination”).

The debate concerning ethnic statistics opposes those who consider that discrimination must be measured in order to be fought against (even if it requires using methods contradictory with the purpose, and the bases of humanist philosophy, such as sorting people according to their skin colour or religion, etc) and those who refuse to treat on an ethnic basis a question which they consider as above all social, and refuse to set up the problem in ethnic terms.

Anne-Marie Nicot, ANACT



Page last updated: 26 June, 2007
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About this document
  • ID: FR0701039Q
  • Author: Anne-Marie Nicot
  • Institution: Anact
  • Country: France
  • Language: EN
  • Publication date: 26-06-2007