Native- vs foreign-born adults – Greater educational attainment does not seem to have had a clear protective effect

The labour market outcomes for native- and foreign-born adults during the first year of the [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic vary considerably across countries – with inequalities in employment even falling in some cases compared to 2017. In contrast with the 2008 financial crisis, greater educational attainment does not seem to have had a clear protective effect against labour market adversities during the pandemic. This is most likely due to countries’ quick action to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic and the high involvement of workers with low qualifications to maintain essential services during prolonged confinement periods. However, in some countries, inequalities in earnings were widening before the pandemic and unless appropriate measures are put in place, the economic effects of the current crisis may have a long-lasting negative effect on the integration of immigrants.

Foreign- and native-born adults often face different experiences when it comes to finding a job, negotiating their salary or simply transitioning from education to work. On average across OECD countries, labour market outcomes for the foreign-born population tend to be worse than those of the native born.

• 2020 employment data show the COVID-19 pandemic had a mixed impact on the employment for foreign- and native-born adults with different levels of educational attainment. Many countries even observed reductions in labour market inequalities between these two groups.
• In Norway and Slovenia, disparities were already increasing before the pandemic began. Experiences from previous economic crises suggest that unless appropriate measures are in place, the economic effects of the pandemic may have a long-lasting negative impact on the integration of immigrants.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story @  How has educational attainment influenced the labour market outcomes of native- and foreign-born adults? | Education Indicators in Focus | OECD iLibrary