The salaries of immigrants in Catalonia are 22.3% lower than those of nationals

BarcelonaA report by the Council for Work, Economy and Social Affairs of Catalonia (CTESC) delves into the role of newcomers in the country's economic fabric and focuses on the significant differences they have compared to nationals regarding occupational conditions. A clear example of this inequality is found in salaries: according to the study, the gross annual salary of foreigners is 22.3% lower than that of Spanish nationals. This difference currently translates into an average of 6,891.64 euros less gross per year.

The study, presented this Tuesday at the Parliament of Catalonia, also emphasizes that a significant portion of the immigrant population remains concentrated in jobs with worse working conditions and fewer opportunities for professional advancement. In fact, this situation of greater vulnerability is expressed through two key indicators: on the one hand, the part-time employment rate – which measures the percentage of employed people working part-time – stands at 16% among foreigners, while in the national population it is 12.9%; in addition, we must add the temporality, which is higher among newcomers (15.8%) compared to those born in Spain (11.4%).

In this way, the report identifies difficulties linked to mismatches between qualifications and employment for a part of the immigrant population. This situation is particularly experienced by people with higher education. The CTESC also notes that newly arrived women show a particularly high incidence of low wages and less qualified occupations.

According to data provided by the advisory body of the Generalitat, it also notes that the unemployment rate is almost double among immigrants (13.9%) than among Spanish nationals, which is 7.7%. The employment rate – which measures the proportion of people in paid employment in relation to the total working-age population – is also lower among newcomers: it stands at 65.6% compared to 73.1%. However, the activity rate – which expresses the proportion of people of working age who have a job or are looking for one – is quite similar, at 76.1% for foreigners and 77.1% for Spanish citizens.

Where do they work?

The study highlights that immigrants have a particularly relevant presence in sectors such as construction or agriculture. Also in certain services, such as activities related to personal care. In the agricultural sector, for example, foreign nationals represent 32.4% of employed persons. According to their data, they also have a presence above the average in construction, where the foreign population accounts for 22.7% of employed persons.

As the CTESC study points out, for example, people of African nationality have a more vulnerable integration, with worse activity and employment indicators and, especially, with a very high unemployment rate (28.4%). On the other hand, among people from Asia and Oceania, there is a high presence of self-employment, as 30.5% work for themselves, a figure that almost doubles the overall average. Regarding immigrant women, the study notes a high concentration in the service sector.

The importance of Catalan

Beyond the radiography of the working migrant in Catalonia, the CTESC also points to improvement proposals to reverse existing inequalities. In the report "Good practices in the labour integration of migrants" from the organization, it is noted that the experiences with the best results are those that combine language learning, vocational guidance, professional accreditation, and personalized support.

For this reason, the CTESC counselor and rapporteur of the report, Carlos de Pablo, has assured Parliament of the need to encourage language learning: "We must ensure that Catalan can become a vehicular language in the workplace." "Catalan is one of the most important factors for social cohesion and structuring," said the president of the body, Ciriaco Hidalgo, for his part. Furthermore, the need to strengthen the accreditation of professional competences of newcomers has also been highlighted, as well as streamlining the processes related to the validation of qualifications.