Ethnic inequalities in the transition from education to work: a longitudinal analysis of school, college and university graduates

Each year, students graduate from schools, colleges and universities. Some find a job quickly – others do not. Delays in the transition education to work have been associated with scarring effects detrimental on later employment career progression. Increasing numbers of graduates universities are descendants immigrants. The labour market performance children immigrants arguably constitutes an important test long-term structural integration ethnic minorities. Using comprehensive Norwegian administrative data complete birth cohorts, we apply discrete time hazard regression examine inequalities relative rates work, comparing majority 10 groups Norwegian-born second-generation 1973 1997 cohorts (N = 964,450 persons 1,901,171 person-years). We clear evidence rates, where or African origin fare worst. Second, overall patterns mostly remain unaffected when adjusted for factors like educational field, marriage status, parental background. Third, that minority disadvantages less marked at lower levels some groups.