Navigating the Labor Market: A Study of Immigrant Domestic Care Workers in Rural Southern Europe

Abstract

This study examines the factors driving employment, adaptation strategies, and labor market trajectories of female, immigrant domestic care workers in rural southern Europe. Through thematic analysis of fieldwork data collected in Potenza (Italy) and Teruel (Spain), it explores the interaction between local labor market dynamics and these workers’ migrant capital. Contributing to a body of literature that has largely overlooked the rural dimension of this conversation, the study emphasizes the importance of considering both individual as well as contextual factors when analyzing the diverse labor market trajectories of these workers. Findings suggest that limited access to quality employment, significant elderly care needs, and close-knit social contexts shape their labor market experiences in various ways. Despite facing “migrant penalties,” many adapt by acquiring skills, building networks, and navigating systemic barriers, including restrictive immigration policies. That said, precarious job conditions at times compel some of them to relocate to more dynamic regions or leave the sector.acceptedVersio