Page 121 - IJPS-10-3

International Journal of
Population Studies COVID-19 and low-skilled workforce in the EU

bonded to precarious employment; however, migrants shaped by their intersectional identities and membership
are disproportionately attached to low-paid, insecure in other marginalized groups (i.e., migratory status,
jobs (Dotsey et al., 2023; Moehring et al., 2021). With an gender, and ethnicity) (Bonizzoni & Dotsey, 2021; Dotsey
estimated 169 million migrant workers worldwide in 2019, et al., 2023). Without labor protections or regulations, and
constituting 4.9% of the global labor force in the receiving given the restricted access to public space and services,
countries, international migrant workers remains an low-skilled migrants experienced further marginalization
increasingly significant workforce in the global economy and exploitation.
(ILO, 2021). Migrant workers fill essential labor shortages This commentary proceeds as follows: Section 2 briefly
in several countries, committing difficult, precarious, analyses the international migration and (low-skilled)
and dangerous jobs. Their job nature, in general, makes migrant labor force dynamics in Europe, while Section 3
the migrant populations more susceptible to injury and explores the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the low-
fatality than the native labor force, with the pandemic skilled migrant labor force. The commentary is concluded
further increasing the risks. Many migrant workers are in Section 4, calling for the need to craft schemes to ensure
employed in key sectors, frequently in positions that make the inclusion of low-skilled workforce into the public
it difficult for them to work from home, and have a higher policy and labor migration system.
risk of contracting COVID-19 (MDP, 2022; OECD, 2022).
The pandemic increased the work activity of the migrant 2. International migration and the (low-
workers without compensating them with appropriate skilled) migrant labor force in the EU
remuneration, despite their already precarious, low-
paid, low-quality, insecure, and irregular employment, Europe’s labor market faces several challenges, which are
which is not equipped with social welfare and labor driven by many interrelated factors, including an aging
protection (Jones et al., 2021; Van Hooren, 2020). Thus, society, rapid technological change, increased demand for
the COVID-19 pandemic has made migrants’ already specific job categories, and uncertainty about the future
precarious conditions worse worldwide, particularly in growth of European economies across a range of sectors
regions where their labor rights are poorly established or and occupations (EMN, 2019). These problems were
non-existent (Jones et al., 2021). aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the European Union (EU) labor market for 2022, Low-skilled and semi-skilled migrants constitute most
9.93 million non-EU citizens were employed, making of the total immigrant population, but a recent shift in
up 5.1% of the total workforce aged 20 – 64 years in the Europe’s labor migration policy has focused primarily
EU regardless of migration status. Compared to EU on attracting more highly skilled migrants from outside
citizens, non-EU citizens were over-represented in some the EU to augment competitiveness by increasing the
specific economic sectors, particularly low-skilled sectors, talent pool (Dotsey, 2023; Platonova & Urso, 2012). The
including accommodation and food service activities, employment of foreign workers is mainly dependent
administrative and support service activities, domestic on the employer-driven temporary or seasonal labor
work, and constructions. Thus, many non-EU citizens can migration channels, if any. Where employment lists
be deemed as essential workers (EC, n.d.). The significance of are used, restrictions are often applied to low-skilled
the non-EU workers to the economy became more evident occupations to prioritize the employment of the native
during the COVID-19 pandemic, which accentuated population. In many EU countries, low-skilled immigrant
the significant role played by migrant workers of all skill workers primarily fill most short-term positions (Beirens
levels (Fernández-Reino et al., 2020). Yet, research shows et al., 2019; Platonova & Urso, 2012). Low-skilled migrant
that workers in the low-skilled migrant workforce are workers have been an integral part of the EU and the
among the worst-hit by the pandemic’s secondary effects U.S. economies, with recently emerging demands for
(see, e.g., Moehring et al., 2021; Ullah et al., 2021). This low-skilled workers from the Middle East and East Asia.
commentary explores the secondary effects of COVID-19 Southern Europe, in particular, draws more from low-
on the low-skilled migrant workforce within the context skilled and unskilled migrant workers than high-skilled
of state-constructed precarity and vulnerability. Low- workers (Bertozzi, 2010; Platonova & Urso, 2012). Unlike
skilled migrant workers make up a significant portion of high-skilled migration, low-skilled migration is often the
the frontline workforce and are essential to keeping many subject of intense policy debates, with much of the public
EU economies afloat. While the pandemic has affected the expressing resistance to these migrants and disregarding
living conditions of all segments of the population, migrant their positive contributions to society. The pandemic
populations are hit especially hard due to the multiple has, however, drawn attention to their important roles in
forms of vulnerability, risk, exploitation, and precarity essential sectors as frontline workers, including workers

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 115 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2165