Discrimination against children of immigrant descent in France, particularly in the labor market has always been a fact highlighted by numerous studies. A new report addresses the fundamental issue and shows how the crisis has worsened it.
“Ethnic discrimination is an aggravating factor” making it harder to access the labor market for young people from immigrant families in France, and the crisis has further enhanced this. So says the report “Young immigrant: What obstacles to economic integration? ” released Monday, February 2nd by the France Strategy body.
Indeed, “a quarter of immigrants and descendants of immigrants reported having experienced discrimination in the past five years,” the study reveals, adding that discriminatory attitudes of employers could be measured via “testings.”
In practice, the situation has become even more critical for children of African origin, “despite the measures that have been taken in succession, both in education and job opportunities,” said the authors of the study. Thus between 2008 and 2010, the unemployment rate for young people of North African and sub-Saharan origin has increased significantly over the period, reaching 35% in 2010.
North Africans, victims of “underutilization of their skills”
In the labor market, the specific case of young descendants of North African immigrants is salient. They are indeed those who know “the strongest gap between the level of education and qualification of the position held,” notes the report. Even without considering structural effects as the degree, immigrants from Morocco , Algeria or Tunisia “are more likely to be in low skilled jobs; They also have a very strong sense of subjective decommissioning, that is to say, under-utilization of their skills, “the authors explain.
The study reveals that occupational segregation is also very strong in children of North African immigrants. They are indeed mostly employed in social trades, transport, or the hotel and catering for young women.
The French press is expecting that this report will spark debate, especially since it comes on the eve of the meeting of the interdepartmental committee on equality and citizenship, expected next Friday.
But in reality, the discrimination against children from immigrant families in France as part of their professional integration has been recognized by many experts for years. And the reality remains the same once they enter the labor market.
To end this social gangrene posed by discrimination in employment, France Strategy will examine the issue and propose recommendations to the French government.
With Yabiladi
