The Netherlands: Intergenerational mobility of native-born children of immigrants from Morocco and Turkey

Abstract

Using research reports from the Dutch Social Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) and data from The Integration of the European Second Generation (TIES) Survey, this chapter compares the intergenerational social mobility of the offspring of immigrants and their parents for the two most disadvantaged ethnic groups in the Netherlands. It follows the school and labour market careers of the native-born children of Turkish and Moroccan descent, describing outcomes at various stages and noting differences with peers of Dutch descent. Attempting to ascertain what produces the stark polarisation within this group – whereby some enjoy exceptionally steep mobility while others stay behind – the chapter points to the role played by the complex policies and institutional arrangements of the country’s educational system. It goes on to discuss how educational outcomes translate into labour market outcomes, highlighting striking gender differences. Finally, it shows how the phenomenon of the “multiplier effect” can help children of less educated immigrants be successful against all odds.