People of immigrant origin are more likely to move up the social ladder than those without direct immigrant background – Insee Première

Despite their parents’ lower social status, the socio-occupational groups of immigrant children aged 35 to 59 are quite similar to those of people without a direct immigration background. As a result, immigrant children are more likely to move up the social ladder than their parents. In 2019-2020, three-quarters of immigrant children who became managers had fathers who were blue-collar workers or employees, compared to half of those without a direct immigration background.

With comparable sociodemographic characteristics, for each socio-occupational group, the chances of upward mobility on the social ladder for descendants of immigrants are just as high as for people without a direct immigrant background. In particular, the chances of becoming a manager when their parents were not managers are similar, regardless of a person’s connection to immigration. For everyone, obtaining a higher education qualification is a decisive factor for upward mobility.