Commissioned by Nature Magazine, a study conducted by the Nuremberg’s Institute for Employment Research revealed that migrants in Germany and other countries receive significantly lower wages than long-term residents. The wage gap widens for the first generation of migrants and persists into the second generation. The study also found that the wage gap varies from one country to another.
The researchers examined wages in Germany and six European countries, as well as in Canada and the United States. The research team analyzed data on 13.5 million migrants, and the study attributed the wage gap to the fact that migrants often lack access to high-paying jobs, with most working in low-wage occupations and companies.
In Germany, the wage gap among first-generation migrants is 19.6%. The largest wage gap is in Spain, at 29.3%, followed by Canada (27.5%), Norway (20.3%), and France and the Netherlands (18.9% and 15.4%, respectively). The smallest gap is in Sweden (7%), followed by Denmark (9.2%) and the United States (10.6%).
According to Malte Reichelt, a researcher participating in the study, the wage gap is not the result of unequal pay for the same jobs. Instead, the lower wages of migrants are due to structural barriers that prevent them from accessing high-paying jobs. Reichelt explained: “Integration is not only about equal pay for equal work; it is primarily about removing the structural barriers that stand in the way of obtaining well-paid jobs.” The researcher also stressed the importance of supporting language learning and recognizing foreign qualifications. He further called for expanding professional networks and improving access to information to help migrants secure suitable job opportunities.
The wage gap for second-generation migrants in Germany persists, with an average of 7.7%—higher than the international average of 5.7%. According to the study, migrants from Africa and the Middle East are particularly excluded from good job opportunities. This situation has increased the desire of many migrants to leave Germany, even though the country is facing a severe shortage of workers across many economic sectors.
