Second-generation immigrants better at securing employment than the first generation

15 February 2011

The second-generation of non-EU immigrants born in Belgium continues to improve its position in Belgian society. Such persons generally do better in school and on the labour market than the first generation. For example, close to 70% of the second generation of non-EU immigrants aged between 25 and 49 is employed as compared to 62% of the first generation and 90% of native Belgians. It is primarily unskilled and female non-EU immigrants who have made substantial progress in closing up the gap in employment rates. However, when looked at from a European perspective Belgium is anything but a star pupil as regards the integration of non-EU immigrants into the labour force. Primarily Brussels and Wallonia are characterised by very high rates of unemployment among non-EU immigrants along with very low rates of employment. Flanders does just slightly better but nevertheless also scores far below the European average. Our region intends to fulfil the commitments it has made in the framework of the EU 2020 objectives and as such to increase its overall employment rate to 76% by 2020.

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