Sociale stijging of daling? Beroepsmobiliteit van non-EU-migranten in Nederland, Noorwegen, Portugal en het Verenigd Koninkrijk

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify the occupational mobility trajectories of non-EU migrant workers in Europe and to test empirical data against the neoclassical human capital theory that predicts upward occupational mobility in the course of time and the segmented labour market theory that predicts immigrant’s confinement to secondary segments of the labour market. We use survey and semi-structured interviews (2,514 and 357 respectively) with migrants from three origin countries (Brazil, Morocco, Ukraine) in four destination countries (the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom). Using both quantitative analysis and complementary qualitative evidence, we find support for the segmented labour market hypothesis of limited upward occupational mobility in the course of time after migration. However, immigrants with longer residence in the destination country have higher changes of upward occupational mobility, giving also support to the human capital theory. Frail legal status negatively impacts upward mobility changes. Men experience upward mobility more often than women. Following education in the destination country also positively affects the changes of upward mobility. Therefore, destination countries should have policies that enable immigrants to enhance their human capital.