Non-EU migrants working across the European Union remain significantly more likely than nationals to hold temporary contracts or work part-time, although the employment gap has narrowed over the past decade, according to recent Eurostat data.
The findings show that citizenship and immigration status continue to influence the type and stability of employment available to migrants across Europe.
Between 2015 and 2025, non-EU citizens aged 20 to 64 consistently recorded the highest rate of temporary employment compared with nationals and citizens from other EU countries.
In 2025, approximately 22.1% of non-EU citizens in employment held temporary contracts, compared with 12.4% of citizens from other EU countries and 10.7% of nationals.
The figures are based on the European Union Labour Force Survey, a large household survey that collects information on employment and demographic characteristics among people aged 15 and above.
The Eurostat analysis examined three main forms of employment: self-employment, temporary employment and part-time work. It then compared employment patterns based on workers’ citizenship and migration status.
Overall, non-EU citizens were found to have lower rates of self-employment but higher rates of temporary and part-time employment than nationals.
Researchers linked these differences to several factors, including citizenship, the integration process, language barriers and mismatches between migrants’ qualifications and the jobs available to them.
These challenges can push migrants into seasonal, agency-based and other forms of flexible employment, particularly in industries that rely heavily on temporary labour.
However, employment arrangements are not always driven by disadvantage. Some migrants may deliberately choose seasonal jobs because they allow them to return to their countries of origin, while others may prefer part-time work because it provides greater flexibility around family or personal responsibilities.
The quality of employment remains an important factor in migrant integration. An OECD report published in 2023 described employment as one of the most important indicators of integration, while stressing that the quality and security of jobs are also critical.
Education and skills recognition can play a significant role in improving migrants’ employment prospects. Although immigrant skill levels have increased over the past decade, many highly educated migrants remain either unemployed or overqualified for the jobs they hold.
According to the OECD, 47% of tertiary-educated immigrants are either overqualified for their jobs or not employed, compared with 30% of native-born workers. Obtaining a degree in the host country can significantly reduce the risk of overqualification among migrants.
Migrants are also heavily represented in lower-skilled occupations. Approximately 30% of elementary jobs in the EU are held by migrants, with the proportion exceeding 50% in some German-speaking countries, Cyprus, Norway and Sweden.
Gender is another factor influencing employment patterns.
Eurostat data indicates that women have lower overall employment rates than men, with approximately 71% of women employed compared with 81% of men. Women also recorded higher rates of temporary employment across all three citizenship categories.
The gender gap is particularly pronounced in countries including Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Part-time employment is also significantly more common among women. Around 28% of employed women work part-time, compared with 8% of men. Women also record higher rates of temporary employment and underemployment.
Care responsibilities are considered one possible explanation. Women are more likely to combine paid work with childcare or caring for relatives, making flexible but less secure employment more attractive in some circumstances.
Occupational segregation also contributes to the disparity. Migrant women are frequently concentrated in sectors such as health and social care, hospitality, cleaning, domestic work and other occupations where temporary or variable working arrangements are common.
The Eurostat findings suggest that while employment conditions for migrants have improved in some respects, citizenship and immigration status continue to shape access to secure and stable work.
Temporary employment, however, is not necessarily a disadvantage in every case. For some migrants, it can provide an entry point into the labour market or offer flexibility that suits their circumstances.
The key issue, according to the broader findings, is whether temporary or part-time employment is freely chosen, provides adequate wages and labour protections, and offers workers a realistic pathway towards more stable and secure employment.