Study: Migrants Often Work Below Their Educational Level

Immigrants in Austria are above average in terms of education, but they are often employed below their qualifications – for example, due to unrecognized foreign degrees. This is shown in an OECD paper on the "State of Integration of Immigrants." Other findings include that immigrants often live in cramped housing conditions and are more affected by poverty. However, truly precarious conditions are rare in international comparison.

Qualifications Often Not Recognized

The paper, which evaluates various studies and surveys from recent years but does not yet consider the displaced from Ukraine, states that about one-fifth of Austria's total population and about a quarter of the working-age population are made up of immigrants. According to OECD conclusions, the integration results are positive in many respects, thanks to Austria's significant investments in integration measures.

Strong Interest in Language Courses

Participation in language courses among immigrants from non-EU countries in the last ten years is high in international comparison. In recent years, the employment rate of immigrants in Austria has reached a record level and is now slightly above the EU average. Nevertheless, there are still problems in this area. The unemployment rate of low-skilled immigrants from EU and non-EU countries is about 18 percent, making it one of the highest among European comparison countries. Furthermore, immigrants often work as unskilled laborers and are more frequently overqualified.

The proportion of the immigrant population with a high level of education is even higher than that of the native-born population, primarily thanks to EU citizens. On the other hand, only about a quarter of immigrants have a tertiary degree. However, only about six percent of immigrants from non-EU countries have only a compulsory school diploma, which is significantly lower than the rate in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, where this proportion is over 20 percent.

Working Below One's Qualification

There are certainly problems in Austria when it comes to obtaining a position that matches one's qualifications. While 62 percent of employed immigrants with an Austrian tertiary degree work in highly qualified professions, it is 48 percent for employed immigrants with a tertiary degree from another EU country and only 27 percent for those with a tertiary degree from a non-EU country.

The participation of female immigrants in the labor market could also be expanded. In Austria, immigrant women are almost twice as likely to be involuntarily unemployed as women born in the country. One third of them cite family reasons.

The situation in the housing market is also difficult. The proportion of immigrants of working age living in densely populated areas is more than twice as high as the corresponding proportion of the native-born population (55 versus 25 percent). This is one reason why 28 percent live in overcrowded housing. For people born in Austria, it is only six percent.

Children of Migrants with Lower Educational Opportunities

The low socioeconomic status of immigrants generally also affects the children of immigrants. Only one third of young people with at least one immigrant parent have achieved a higher level of education than their parents - the lowest proportion among the main destination countries. Furthermore, students with immigrant parents performed worse in the PISA study than in most other countries.

(APA/Red)

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