In France, origin and place of birth affect your pay slip! With equal skills, Ultramarines and descendants of African immigrants are paid less than others. Up to 400 euros less, according to a study by the Observatory of Inequalities.
A new study published on October 30, resulting from research by sociologists Mathieu Ichou and Ugo Palheta, reveals significant wage gaps between the descendants of immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb, or natives from overseas, and the other French people, with equivalent characteristics.
To arrive at these conclusions, 14 years of INSEE data were collected from a sample of 260,000 employees.
According to the study, with similar qualifications, age and other socio-demographic factors, descendants of sub-Saharan immigrants earn on average 400 euros less per month than natives. The differences amount to 328 euros for those of overseas origin and 186 euros for those from the Maghreb.
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©Observatory of Inequalities
Figures which can be explained by several factors, according to the study which establishes that descendants of African immigrants and those born overseas are often faced with obstacles upon entering the job market. Difficulties which sometimes force them to accept low-paid or even under-qualified jobs, with the consequence of wage inequalities throughout their careers.
Additionally, occupational segregation — the fact that members of certain minorities are overrepresented in lower-paying sectors or positions — likely also plays a role.
Extract from the analysis on “Wages: descendants of African immigrants and parents born overseas heavily penalized”Observatory of inequalities
These salary inequalities are found among both sexes, but they are particularly marked for men, who see their remuneration significantly reduced compared to that of their French counterparts.
The study also indicates that children from two immigrant parents are more disadvantaged than those from mixed couples (an immigrant parent and a parent born in France).
It is only with the “Trajectories and Origins” survey of theNational Institute of Demographic Studies and INSEE that data have been systematically collected to analyze inequalities between children of natives and children of immigrants, particularly at school and in the job market. But these limited statistics do not yet make it possible to fully take into account all the discrimination suffered by minorities.
To go further, researchers recommend studying the income of self-employed workers, as well as wealth inequalities, which are significantly more significant than those in wages. An exploration of the situation of third-generation descendants could also shed light on the persistence of discrimination.
By revealing the extent of salary inequalities according to origin in France, this study suggests that racism does not only manifest itself in the form of prejudices or ideologies, but also through very concrete inequalities which limit access to material resources and weigh on the lives of those who are its victims. It shows that the salary disadvantages observed to the detriment of the children of immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, overseas and the Maghreb are not simply a reflection of socio-economic disparities, but the result of a form of racism and discrimination in the labor market which is linked to inequalities between social classes.
Extract from the analysis on “Wages: descendants of African immigrants and parents born overseas heavily penalized”Observatory of inequalities
For the researchers authors of this study, these inequalities must be combatted not by setting up a “abstract pedagogy in favor of tolerance and equality“, but requires more profound changes to society and therefore to the world of work.
