The underutilisation of talent in the migrant population reflects a failure of integration
Too often ‘migrants’ are lumped together in policy and public debates as a single population group. Yet the people who come to settle in the UK are highly diverse. This is reflected in the varied employment outcomes experienced by different groups within the migrant population, often reflecting dynamics that are given insufficient attention by policy makers.
Migrants coming from outside of the EU face the greatest challenges to integration in the UK labour market. In 2012, the employment rate for this group (including all those of working age and excluding those in regular education) was 68 per cent, compared with 75 per cent for non-migrants, and compared to between 80 and 82 per cent for EU migrants.
New research by IPPR has dug deeper into these figures to identify some of the characteristics that underpin the above variance.
To unpick some of the outcomes for particular migrant groups, our research looked at different groupings (considering gender, qualification and nationality among other things) and compared them like for like with the non-migrant population.
This revealed important differences between groups. For example, the employment rate for non-EU migrants falls short of those in the non-migrant population for all qualification levels, and the gap gets wider as the level of qualification decreases (see chart below).
But the picture is markedly different for men compared to women. Men from outside the EU have similar employment rates to those in the non-migrant population, irrespective of qualification level. Yet for women from outside the EU, the gap in employment rate with non-migrant women ranges from minus 16 percentage points for those with degrees to minus 22 percentage points for lower qualified women.
Employment gap (percentage point) between migrants from out side the EU and the non-migrant population, by qualification and gender
This almost entirely accounts for the overall employment gap that we see between all non-EU migrants and non-migrants, and shows that even very educated women from outside the EU have relatively low employment rates. This is particularly the case for some nationality groups – our findings show that women from south and southeast Asian countries are less than half as likely to be in work as men, with employment rates of 43 and 87 percent respectively (although there are signs that this gap is may be starting to narrow).
The underutilisation of talent and potential in the existing migrant population reflects a failure of integration. It leaves the UK in the paradoxical position of having considerable untapped potential within the existing migrant population while the country is struggling to boost ailing productivity, including through recruitment from abroad.
In light of this, policy makers should recalibrate their focus away from a preoccupation with controlling the nature and volume of future migration flows, and towards tackling the challenges faced by people that are already here and trying to engage in the UK labour market.
Alfie Stirling is a researcher at IPPR. Follow him on Twitter
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55 Responses to “The UK is failing to make the most of the skills and talents of its migrant population”
Guest
“JEWS RUIN DISCUSSION”
Yes, you keep saying that to yourself, as you wonder why Jews are not banned from posting, as ever. Whining about how Jews are allowed is all you do these days on your “damon” account.
Guest
So you don’t think, you just whine about Jews on this account of yours as well, as you use the standard Lord Blagger line on dissent being mentally ill.
You are the one who is whining that plain English isn’t, as I understand you fine and you have a problem with that. I discuss things just fine with people who are here for discussion, and I mock you – Lord Blagger – when you come here to post your whining and when you rage against me for being Jewish.
Really quite simple. No magical mental illness needed.
Guest
“JEWS R WIERD”
As you make up PC nonsense about the left, and you say you have no idea why I can read your post, as you make excuse after excuse. “I have Jewish friends, really”…right.
I don’t believe you, of course, I go with your previous posts, as you expect me to “explain” your irrational hate – and Anti-Semitism is of course common among your far right.
As you scream about magical invasions (like the Romanians, which never happened) of HIV-infected people again, using a hate myth against brown people. Experts have said there’s no evidence of health tourism on this, and it’s important to not have untreated HIV, as you make excuses for the rights of a virus to spread, or whatever other nonsense you have today for whipping up a frenzy against brown people.
damon
”it’s important to not have untreated HIV”
I’d agree, but is it Britain’s job to give aid to the whole world?
If you think so, fair enough. Let’s let all 26 million Africans who have HIV come to Britain then.
Guest
So you don’t agree. As you scream the hate myths about brown people and magical invasions again, which are untrue and have no basis outside your clear racism.
You’d rather allow diseases to spread. A Virus Rights man. In any case, the experts in public health are quite clear on this – there’s no evidence on health tourism on HIV, and hence your views are 100% bigotry.