Statistics from the European statistics agency Eurostat indicate that non-EU migrants working within Europe tend to be more exposed to temporary and reduced-hours employment while also facing greater obstacles to establishing businesses. While the employment gaps between EU and non-EU nationals have generally improved, citizenship and immigration status continue to influence employment options.
Non-EU citizens living and working across the European Union remain more likely than nationals to hold temporary contracts or work part-time, although the gap has narrowed in recent years, recent reseach by Eurostat revealed.
The study released last month, indicates that between 2015 and 2025, non-EU citizens between 20-64 had the greatest number of temporary contracts. This number fell to its lowest level over the period covered by the study, with 22 percent of non-EU citizens in temporary contracts compared to 12 percent for citizens of other EU countries and 11 percent for nationals.
In 2025, this share fell to its lowest level over the period, at 22.1 percent, compared with 12.4 percent for citizens of other EU countries and 10.7 percent for nationals.
The data was based on EU labor force survey (EU-LFS), the largest household level survey in Europe that collects data on employment and the demographic background of people aged 15 and over.
The study defined employment as falling into one of three categories: self-employment, temporary employment, and part-time employment. This information was then cross referenced against citizenship and migration status. Individuals were then classified as either nationals or non-nationals of the country declared as their residence. Non-nationals were then further classified based on their citizenship, namely if they were a citizen of another EU country or citizen of another non-EU country.
Overall migrant employment in the EU on the rise, new study finds
Overall, the study showed that over the past decade, non-EU citizens consistently recorded the highest prevalence of temporary employment, while nationals recorded the lowest. Specifically, non-EU citizens had:
- fewer shares of self-employed people
- greater shares of temporary contracts
- greater shares of part-time employment
The research attributed the disparity to several factors related to citizenship and integration, language barriers, and a mismatch of skill qualifications with employment. These social and economic factors often overlap with other factors such as gender and often translate to migrants finding work mostly in seasonal, agency-based employment, particularly in industries where employers rely heavily on flexible labor.
According to a June 14 report on EuroNews, personal choice and circumstance also play a role in types of employment. Some migrants may favor seasonal work that will allow them to return to their country of origin or part-time work with more flexible hours that better fits into their life circumstances.
On the plus side, in a separate study conducted by the Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin), released on July 22, researchers found that overall in the European Union, immigrant employment has reached a record high, with the rate for all migrants climbing to 68 percent last year.
Gains were particularly strong among non-EU nationals, whose employment rate rose to 66 percent -- up from 59 percent in 2017.*
The figures of immigrants in employment are now close to that of the native population, according to the report.
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Employment as integration
According to a 2023 OECD report, employment is often considered as a "single most important indicator of integration." However, job quality is also a strong determinant in integration. The report examined migrant education and its linkages to types of contract, working hours, and match of job and skills classification.
Adult education helps immigrants to close the gap with the native‑born in formal education. Over the last decade, the skills level of immigrant occupations has risen, narrowing the gap with the native‑born in one‑third of the countries surveyed. Approximately 30 percent of elementary jobs are held by migrants in the EU. The numbers are higher, exceeding 50 percent in German-speaking countries, Cyprus, Norway and Sweden.
The OECD highlighted that 47 percent of tertiary educated immigrants are either overqualified or not in employment compared to 30 percent of those who are native‑born. A host-country degree reduces the immigrant overqualification gap by 75 percent across the EU.
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Gender as a factor
Gender creates an additional divide. The latest Eurostat study on female participation in the workforce indicates a gender employment gap of 10 percentage points. Women's employment rate was 71 percent compared to men at 81 percent.
Women recorded higher rates of temporary employment than men across all three citizenship categories, with particularly large differences in Italy, Spain and Portugal.
In terms of part-time employment, the share of female part-time workers in employment was much greater (28 percent) compared to that of men (eight percent). The same trend was noted for temporary work with 11 percent for women and nine percent for men. When it came to underemployment, the share of women was greater at four percent compared to that of men at two percent.
Caring responsibilities is one likely explanation for these disparities. The study noted that women remain more likely to combine paid employment with childcare or care for other relatives. This may lead some to accept work offering greater flexibility but less security.
Another factor is occupational segregation where migrant women are frequently concentrated in health and social care, education, hospitality, cleaning and domestic work, where temporary or variable arrangements occur more often.
Overall, the study shows that while conditions have improved overall, citizenship and immigration status continue to influence the type, stability and autonomy of work available.
At the same time, temporary employment should not invariably be characterized as disadvantageous. It can provide a route into the labor market and may suit some workers' plans. The central questions are whether it is chosen freely, offers adequate pay and protection, and eventually creates a path towards more secure work.
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This article was updated on July 23, to reflect a separate study done by the Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin), which found that overall migrant employment in the EU had risen.