Improving the labour market integration of immigrants in Belgium

"Immigrants make up one fifth of the Belgian working age population, but their labour market integration is poor. Employment rates of non-EU immigrants, in particular, are very low, and the problem extends to their native-born offspring. Further, with more precarious jobs and lower wages, immig...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pina, Alvaro, Corluy, Vincent, Verbist, Gerlinde
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Paris 2015
OECD
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19113498124919316709-improving-the-labour-market-in.htm
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author Pina, Alvaro
Corluy, Vincent
Verbist, Gerlinde
author_facet Pina, Alvaro
Corluy, Vincent
Verbist, Gerlinde
collection Library items
description "Immigrants make up one fifth of the Belgian working age population, but their labour market integration is poor. Employment rates of non-EU immigrants, in particular, are very low, and the problem extends to their native-born offspring. Further, with more precarious jobs and lower wages, immigrants are heavily exposed to poverty. This is explained by low educational attainment and correspondingly high vulnerability to disincentives to work and relatively high minimum wages, but also by more diffuse handicaps, like discrimination and imperfect knowledge of the languages of Belgium. Improving the labour market performance of immigrants requires a two-fold strategy. First, policies specific to migrants need to be enhanced. To improve job matching, immigrants need more support to develop and validate their human capital, and employers, both public and private, need stronger incentives to hire a more diverse workforce. Second, general reforms to improve the functioning of the economy, desirable in any case, could also have a significant positive impact on immigrants. There is vast scope to reduce labour costs and increase work incentives for low-skilled workers. Also, the education system needs to become more equitable and responsive to the needs of the children of immigrants. This Working Paper relates to the 2015 OECD Economic Survey of Belgium ."
format TEXT
geographic Belgium
id 19113498124919316709_f153a99df61645529003dac759362ea7
institution ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
is_hierarchy_id 19113498124919316709_f153a99df61645529003dac759362ea7
is_hierarchy_title Improving the labour market integration of immigrants in Belgium
language English
physical 31 p.
Digital
publishDate 2015
publisher Paris
OECD
spellingShingle Pina, Alvaro
Corluy, Vincent
Verbist, Gerlinde
educational opportunity
immigration
minimum wage
social integration
labour market policy
Improving the labour market integration of immigrants in Belgium
thumbnail https://www.labourline.org/Image_prev.jpg?Archive=108231392641
title Improving the labour market integration of immigrants in Belgium
topic educational opportunity
immigration
minimum wage
social integration
labour market policy
url https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19113498124919316709-improving-the-labour-market-in.htm