Article

The covid-19 crisis affects employment inequality between immigrants and natives

Jacobo Muñoz Comet, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)

In the great majority of advanced democracies, the immigrant population achieves worse employment outcomes than the native population. However, according to the specialised literature, the inequality between natives and those born abroad tends to disappear as time passes in the host society. The covid-19 crisis in Spain arrived with the immigrant population more firmly rooted than in the Great Recession of 2008. Despite this, the impact of the pandemic on unemployment has again been harder on those born abroad, especially immigrant women.
Key points
  • 1
       From the onset of the covid-19 crisis, in Spain the increase in unemployment has been more pronounced for immigrants than for natives. This has given rise to an increase in inequality between the two groups: in one year the divide has widened from 6.7 to 10 percentage points.
  • 2
       In 2020, the gap between immigrant and native women reached a width that matched the worst years of the Great Recession of 2008. This is due in part to the fact that during the economic recovery the low levels of inequality recorded in 2007 were never regained.
  • 3
       The impact of covid-19 on the rise in inequality has been slightly more moderate than in the crisis of 2008, although this difference appears to be only partly explained by the consolidation of the immigrant population in Spain.
  • 4
       A large part of the disadvantage suffered by immigrants in comparison with the native population continues to be related to their employment situation. Particularly noteworthy is the overrepresentation of the immigrant population in temporary, unskilled jobs and sectors subject to changes in the economic cycle.

Classification

Tags

Subject areas

Related content

Article

Preventing discrimination and social exclusion in Spain

In Spain, not all immigrant groups are perceived equally. According to this study, 35.9% of native Spaniards stated that they have positive contacts with Moroccans, while the figure increased to 59.8% in relation to people of Latin American origin.

Activity

Europe, a land of hospitality for all?

Do we show the same solidarity to all refugees? In this series of seminars, co-organised with the Catalan Sociology Association, we will analyse the role of Europe as a land of hospitality.

Article

Inequalities in covid-19 inequalities research: Who had the capacity to respond?

Did inequality exist in the research into the inequalities of covid-19? We analyse it in this comparative study focusing on research production, distribution and collaborations between countries.

Report

Capital income and income inequality in Spain, 1980-2020

Why does Spain present income inequality levels higher than the European average? Differences in income between age groups and the concentration of capital among the richest groups are some of the causes.

Report

Evolution of wage gap between native-born and migrant youth in Spain

In what way does our background affect wages? This report analyses the evolution of wage trajectories among native and immigrant young people between 2007 and 2015.

You may also find interesting

Gender inequality in paid and unpaid work after the pandemic

Article

Gender inequality in paid and unpaid work after the pandemic


Social Inclusion

Following the pandemic, 30% of men and 33% of women with children who are minors have been working from home at least one day a week. According to this study, this could favour greater equality in relation to family responsibilities.

Preventing discrimination and social exclusion in Spain

Article

Preventing discrimination and social exclusion in Spain


Social Inclusion

In Spain, not all immigrant groups are perceived equally. According to this study, 35.9% of native Spaniards stated that they have positive contacts with Moroccans, while the figure increased to 59.8% in relation to people of Latin American origin.

A systematic review of the research on rural vulnerability

Article

A systematic review of the research on rural vulnerability


Social Inclusion

This article presents a systematic review of the literature on rural vulnerability research in order to identify the different trends related to the sources of socio-environmental vulnerability in rural Spain.