Insee Première · July 2024 · n° 2006

Descendants of immigrants move up the social ladder more often than people with no direct migration background

While their parents occupied less qualified social positions, descendants of immigrants aged 35 to 59 belong to socio-professional groups that are fairly similar to those of people with no direct migration background. Descendants of immigrants are therefore more likely than their parents to be moving up the social ladder. In 2019-2020, three quarters of the descendants of immigrants who had become managers had a father who was a blue‑collar or employee worker, compared with half of those who have no direct migration background.

With comparable socio-demographic characteristics, for each socio-professional group of origin, descendants of immigrants have as much chance of moving up the social ladder as people with no direct migration background. In particular, chances of becoming a manager when their parents were not are similar, regardless the person's link to immigration. For everyone, obtaining a higher education qualification is a determining factor in upward social mobility.