The heterogeneous employment outcomes of first- and second-generation immigrants in Belgium

This paper provides a comprehensive quantitative assessment of the relationship between people's migration background and their likelihood of being employed in Belgium. Using detailed quarterly data for the period 2008-2014, we find not only that first-generation immigrants face a substantial employment penalty (up to -36% points) vis-à-vis their native counterparts, but also that their descendants continue to face serious difficulties in accessing the labour market. The employment gap is, ceteris paribus, more pronounced for the first than for the second generation. Yet, intergenerational mob... Mehr ...