Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New Approaches
The growing interest in migration issues in the EU has not affected the analysis of African migrants. The focus is on social and political issues, while the economic issues studied are primarily related to the assessment of the reasons for the arrival of Africans in the EU, the trajectory of their m...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ассоциация независимых экспертов «Центр изучения кризисного общества» (in English: Association for independent experts “Center for Crisis Society Studies”)
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ogt-journal.com/jour/article/view/591 |
| _version_ | 1797646985695592448 |
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| author | A. V. Kuznetsov |
| author_facet | A. V. Kuznetsov |
| author_sort | A. V. Kuznetsov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The growing interest in migration issues in the EU has not affected the analysis of African migrants. The focus is on social and political issues, while the economic issues studied are primarily related to the assessment of the reasons for the arrival of Africans in the EU, the trajectory of their movement, as well as the scale of remittances to their homeland and the conditions for their return back to Africa. The article focuses on the main features of African migrants’ economic activity in the EU. Instead of the traditional consideration of only one or several diasporas in a single country or a generalized analysis of the entire EU, we compare the specifics of immigrants from different African countries in the 4 largest EU member states (including the UK, which left the integration project in 2020). Our article begins with a review of studies that contain information on the economic activities of migrants from African countries. Then, based on data from Eurostat and national statistics from Germany, France, Italy and the UK, the role of people from Africa in these countries population is shown. The reasons for the differences between these four countries in the dynamics and structure of immigration from Africa are explained. Statistics of refugees, naturalized persons over the past 10 years, foreign citizens and residents with migration past are considered. France is the leader in the number of migrants, mainly due to people from French-speaking countries of North and West Africa. Italy stands out because it is targeted by many illegal migrant routes due to its geographical proximity to this region. The UK has become a target mainly for residents of former British colonies who are quite successful in naturalization in the United Kingdom (therefore, there are as many Africans without local passports in the UK as in Germany – 0.6 million). Further, it is shown that the key factor for taking a particular economic position in society is the status of migrants, their education also plays an important role (although Africans often work in places where a lower level of qualification is required than they have), as well as language barriers. There are big gender differences. At the end of the article we make conclusions about the problems of African migrants’ adaptation, although the EU countries cannot refuse to employ migrants in unattractive jobs in any case. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:10:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-670b91645b3c47939cea3f06fd8dec85 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2542-0240 2587-9324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:10:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Ассоциация независимых экспертов «Центр изучения кризисного общества» (in English: Association for independent experts “Center for Crisis Society Studies”) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право |
| spelling | doaj.art-670b91645b3c47939cea3f06fd8dec852023-10-29T15:55:27ZengАссоциация независимых экспертов «Центр изучения кризисного общества» (in English: Association for independent experts “Center for Crisis Society Studies”)Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право2542-02402587-93242020-05-0113162710.23932/2542-0240-2020-13-1-1448Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New ApproachesA. V. Kuznetsov0Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences (INION) of the Russian Academy of SciencesThe growing interest in migration issues in the EU has not affected the analysis of African migrants. The focus is on social and political issues, while the economic issues studied are primarily related to the assessment of the reasons for the arrival of Africans in the EU, the trajectory of their movement, as well as the scale of remittances to their homeland and the conditions for their return back to Africa. The article focuses on the main features of African migrants’ economic activity in the EU. Instead of the traditional consideration of only one or several diasporas in a single country or a generalized analysis of the entire EU, we compare the specifics of immigrants from different African countries in the 4 largest EU member states (including the UK, which left the integration project in 2020). Our article begins with a review of studies that contain information on the economic activities of migrants from African countries. Then, based on data from Eurostat and national statistics from Germany, France, Italy and the UK, the role of people from Africa in these countries population is shown. The reasons for the differences between these four countries in the dynamics and structure of immigration from Africa are explained. Statistics of refugees, naturalized persons over the past 10 years, foreign citizens and residents with migration past are considered. France is the leader in the number of migrants, mainly due to people from French-speaking countries of North and West Africa. Italy stands out because it is targeted by many illegal migrant routes due to its geographical proximity to this region. The UK has become a target mainly for residents of former British colonies who are quite successful in naturalization in the United Kingdom (therefore, there are as many Africans without local passports in the UK as in Germany – 0.6 million). Further, it is shown that the key factor for taking a particular economic position in society is the status of migrants, their education also plays an important role (although Africans often work in places where a lower level of qualification is required than they have), as well as language barriers. There are big gender differences. At the end of the article we make conclusions about the problems of African migrants’ adaptation, although the EU countries cannot refuse to employ migrants in unattractive jobs in any case.https://www.ogt-journal.com/jour/article/view/591migrationsafrican migrantseu member stateseconomic niches on labor marketsmigration statisticsgermanyfranceitalyunited kingdom |
| spellingShingle | A. V. Kuznetsov Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New Approaches Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право migrations african migrants eu member states economic niches on labor markets migration statistics germany france italy united kingdom |
| title | Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New Approaches |
| title_full | Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New Approaches |
| title_fullStr | Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New Approaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New Approaches |
| title_short | Economic Activities of African Migrants in Major EU Countries: New Approaches |
| title_sort | economic activities of african migrants in major eu countries new approaches |
| topic | migrations african migrants eu member states economic niches on labor markets migration statistics germany france italy united kingdom |
| url | https://www.ogt-journal.com/jour/article/view/591 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT avkuznetsov economicactivitiesofafricanmigrantsinmajoreucountriesnewapproaches |