Indicator history

According to the Origins and Trajectories (TeO) study 'the unemployment rate for immigrants is particularly high for those from Algeria (16%), Morocco and Tunisia (12%) and sub-Saharan Africa (17%)', and notably, 'even more so among the descendants of people of these origins (20%, 22% and 21% accordingly)'. Age can partially explain this discrepancy, but an analysis that controls for this variable shows that there is a higher risk of unemployment compared to the majority population in some of these groups (particularly immigrants from Algeria and descendants and immigrants from Morocco, Tunisia and sub-Saharan Africa).

The study conducted by the National Institute of Demographic Studies (INED) confirms that the descendants of immigrants (both men and women) are at greater risk unemployment than people descended from French parents. Thus, 20.5% of the descendants of North African immigrants are unemployed, as against 7% of men descended from French parents, and 19.7% of women and daughters of immigrants are unemployed, against just 9.7% of  'native' Frenchwomen.

The INSEE published the results of another survey on the employment rate according to the origin of parents, investigating the effects of age and qualifications. The survey provides evidence of great disparity: over the period 2005-2009, 86% of men aged 16 to 65 whose parents are French by birth are in employment, against only 65% when one parent is an immigrant originating from a North African country. To understand this difference, the researchers analysed the variables of age and qualification further and showed that they accounted for 7 out of the 21 percentage points separating the two categories. The remaining 14% difference is interpreted as evidence of discrimination.