OECD Approaches Policymakers To Keep Coronavirus From Becoming An “Integration Crisis”

The coronavirus pandemic has affected immigrants all over the world in numerous adverse ways. Even after the health crisis is in the past, the effects will continue for a while.

The OECD came out with a policy brief outlining how the pandemic has had a severe effect on immigrants and their children when it comes to integration measures such as jobs, health, education, and language training. They also took a look at how public opinion has been impacted because of the pandemic and talk about the host countries’ policy responses.

This study is meant to complement a previous brief on the effect of the pandemic on migration management. OECD is responsible for building policies that encourage prosperity and equal opportunities.  This intergovernmental economic organisation works alongside 37 member countries.

Study findings

As it happens, immigrants in OECD countries have a higher chance of contracting the coronavirus than native-born residents. Immigrants tend to fall prey to a range of vulnerabilities like a higher risk of poverty, tough jobs that make physical distancing impossible and overcrowded housing conditions.

The COVID-19 mortality rates for immigrants could also be more than those of the native-born population. Immigrants tend to have less stable employment conditions and are hence in a vulnerable position in the labour market. They usually have lower seniority and have to submit to their work pressure. Studies find that discrimination is on the rise during a slack labour market.

Networking becomes important for finding job opportunities during this time, but immigrants tend to have fewer contacts for networking. It is a fact that immigrants happen to be largely overrepresented in the industries that have been most affected by the pandemic. Hence, their labour market outcomes are the worst.