The critical role of the health-care sector in promoting employment for women and migrants in the EU. A multicountry input-output analysis

Abstract

A disproportionate concentration of women in low-pay and low-status sectors is a trend that has grown in significance with the globalization of production systems. For the health and social care sector, this has interesting socio-spatial implications, particularly in terms of immigration, the dimensions of which are worth investigating. This study employs the novel extended multiregional input-output FIGARO database to estimate the employment-generating capacity of the sector in the EU28, with a focus on the gender and geographic origin of its workers. The analysis takes into account both indirect and induced effects and considers both cross-country and cross-sectoral linkages. The findings identify the healthcare sector as a key source of employment for both national and immigrant women in more than half of EU countries. At the same time, this sector contributes to the earnings disadvantage experienced by women, which suggest that equality policies should consider the sectoral distribution of employment.