Immigrants: better educated and yet less likely to find work
Children of non-Western migrants are performing better and better in education. But it remains much more difficult for them to find a job, the Social and Cultural Planning Office warns today.
Some older migrants of Turkish and Moroccan descent are illiterate or have only finished primary school. Their children progress much further in education, see the authors of Integration in sight, a new report of the SCP on the position of immigrants in the Netherlands.
In fact, given the level of education of their parents, the youngsters actually do just as well as children of Dutch descent. The fact that they are immigrants has no influence on their educational performance.
High unemployment
But unemployment among non-Western youth (all educational levels combined) remains high: 22 percent. This is only nine percent among young people of Dutch descent. Moroccans in particular are more often unemployed than you might expect.
Dutch people of non-Western descent also less often have a high-level job. Moreover, there is little improvement in this. Over the years, there remains an inexplicable difference of about five to seven percentage points in the proportion of non-western immigrants in high positions.
Differences remain large
All in all, the SCP comes to a mixed conclusion. Migrant children are in the right direction in education and they are doing better and better in education. But the differences remain large, and not only in education, but also in the labor market.
The researchers warn against discrimination. “Exclusion can be harsh or more subtle in nature and does not only have consequences for the labor market position,” says SCP. "When migrants feel that they have fewer or no opportunities, this can lead to frustration, friction and a diminishing emotional bond with Dutch society."
