Access to Employment of the Second Generations in France: Unequal Role of Family and Personal Networks by Origins and Gender

Abstract

Using data from the Trajectories and Origins survey (TeO), this chapter investigates the role of networks in access to employment of descendants of immigrants in France. I compare the recruitment channels and the type of networks used by various origin groups and the majority population. And I analyse the determinants of obtaining a job through family ties or personal networks, disentangling the effects of origin from other individual characteristics, and the nature of the job obtained. I show that the use of networks – and the kind of networks - to get jobs varies by origin groups and by gender. Within-group differences exist also according to education, family background and place of residence, as well as by sector of employment. Controlling for similar characteristics, family ties play help descendants of migrants from Turkey to get a job, and to a lesser extent, descendants from Portugal. This helps explain ethnic segregation and the quality of the jobs of these groups. Descendants of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and from North Africa were less likely to obtain less their job through networks. This is especially true for women, who compensate by using more formal methods. These groups would need stronger networks or intermediaries to provide trusted information to employers and reduce discrimination and racism. This chapter thus contributes to a better understanding of the inequalities faced by various origin groups in the French labour market.