Labour market profiles of Albanian migrants in Italy: Evidence from Lombardy 2001–2015

Abstract

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Introducing the role of the municipality of residence in studying the secondary migration of international migrants. Evidence from Lombardy (Italy)

“…The primary 10 nationalities settled in Lombardy have very different settlement models; in particular the hotspots are not necessarily based in the capital city of Milan (Figures 2 and 3). These patterns are closely related to ethnic job niches in Lombardy (Bertolani, 2019; Cela et al, 2021; Riva and Zanfrini, 2013). In Milan, only Egyptians, Chinese, Filipinos, Peruvians and Ecuadorians are clustered due to a concentration of jobs in the domestic and care sector (Filipinos, Peruvians and Ecuadorians) and in food services and trade (Egyptians and Chinese).…”

“…The primary 10 nationalities settled in Lombardy have very different settlement models; in particular the hotspots are not necessarily based in the capital city of Milan (Figures 2 and 3). These patterns are closely related to ethnic job niches in Lombardy (Bertolani, 2019;Cela et al, 2021;Riva and Zanfrini, 2013)…”

The effect of migration and time spent abroad on migrants’ health: A home/host country perspective

“…Moreover, in the Italian context, empirical evidence reveals that migrants are mainly employed in lowskilled jobs, with limited opportunities for occupational mobility (Fellini and Guetto 2019), which in turn affects migrants' vulnerability and health risk (Campostrini et al 2019). Furthermore, research suggests that discrimination can have detrimental effects on both mental and physical health (Borrell et al 2015;Cela and Barbiano di Belgiojoso 2021), and Albanian migrants, in general, have been one of the most stigmatized and stereotyped groups in Italy (Cela et al 2022;King and Mai 2008).…”

“…In Italy, Albanians are now the second-largest migrant group after Romanians, and they form the most important extra-EU community in the country. Thanks to regularization schemes in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the initial wave of irregular migration was followed by family reunifications (Cela et al 2022). Albanian migrants in Italy in the 1990s were subject to a strong process of stigmatization and discrimination; they were portrayed as criminals, thieves, and prostitutes.…”

“…During the 2000s, this racist process slightly decreased as media attention moved to new immigrants from Eastern Europe, such as Romanians. Thanks to their proficiency in Italian and their somatic similarity to Italians, Albanians integrated into Italian society, maintaining a low and hard-working profile (Cela et al 2022;King, Uruçi, and Vullnetari 2011). As argued by Romania (2004), they adopted a silent process of social mimesis and ethnic invisibility to overcome prejudice, a strategy that translated into atomized family networks and a lack of community identity and involvement.…”