Migration eller mobilitet — et kunstigt skel med praktiske konsekvenser

M igration eller mobilitet-det, som på overfladen blot ligner en terminologisk skelnen mellem migration og mobilitet, dækker i virkeligheden over en væsentlig forskellig opfattelse af det samme fænomen betinget af, om migranterne kommer fra lande inden for eller uden for EU/E¯S. Den forskel betyder bla., at migranterne fra EU/E¯S ses i et arbejdsmarkedsperspektiv, hvor de tilskrives en midlertidighed, mens migranter fra lande uden for EU/E¯S ses i et bredere samfundsperspektiv, hvor de tilskrives en mere permanent karakter. Disse grundlæggende forskellige opfattelser stemmer ikke altid overens med, hvordan de forskellige grupper i virkeligheden agerer, men har ikke desto mindre en række praktiske konsekvenser for både migranterne og samfundet

A division of labour? Labour market segmentation by region of origin: the case of intra-EU migrants in the UK, Germany and Denmark

The 2004/2007 EU enlargements rendered CEE citizens legally equal to EU labour market participants. However, CEE migrants still face ‘racialisation’ and segmentation in North-Western European labour markets. Similar processes might extend to EU-South migrants, giving rise to a division of labour, whereby CEE and EU-South migrants end up in poor-quality, low-pay jobs. We compare the labour market integration of recent intra-EU migrants (EU8, EU2, EU-South, EU-West/EEA) in the UK, Germany and Denmark. Using labour force, microcensus and register data, we model quantitative and qualitative integration through labour force participation and wages. We find no significant differences in labour force participation between nationals and migrants in the UK. Whilst in both Denmark and Germany, the labour force participation of EU-migrants is significantly lower. Notwithstanding differences in migration trends, labour markets and welfare regimes, we find evidence of a division of labour along occupational and industry lines − that translates into wage differences. EU-West/EEA migrants occupy better jobs (even outperforming nationals), followed by EU-South and CEE migrants. In Denmark and Germany, EU8 and EU2 migrants’ wages are lower than those of nationals even after controlling for differences in occupations. These findings suggest that inequalities across the EU are reproduced rather than converging