Immigrants at Work Ethnicity and Nationality in the Irish Labour Market

Philip J. O’Connell and Frances McGinnity
Research - The Economic and Social Research Institute, The Equality Authority
ISSN/ISBN: 0 7070 0270 2
 Strands: Racism, Equality, Discrimination
Countries: Ireland

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This is the first systematic baseline study that examines labour market experiences of migrants in Ireland distinguished by ethnicity. It investigates both objective labour market outcomes such as occupational status and wages, and respondents own subjective assessment of their experiences. It makes use of the first and, apart from the 2006 Census, only representative Irish data sources to include information on ethnicity - the special module of the Quarterly National Household Survey conducted by the Central Statistics Office in 2004 and the ESRI Survey of Migrant Experiences of Racism and Discrimination in Ireland in 2005.

The key finding of the report is that migrants to Ireland fare less well than Irish nationals in the Irish labour market across a range of dimensions - in terms of unemployment levels, of access to privileged occupations in the occupational structure, and of experiences of discrimination at work and in looking for work. Within this finding the report also highlights specific and higher levels of disadvantage for Black people. English language skills are also identified in the report as an important factor in determining the quality of the migrants' experience.

This is the third report arising from the 'Research Programme on Equality and Discrimination' which is being carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute on behalf of the Equality Authority.