The differential exclusion of highly-skilled migrant women from the Italian labor market

Despite the growing interest in female migration, the experience of highly-skilled migrant women has received little attention. This thesis addresses this gap by examining their integration into the host country’s labor market, with a specific focus on Italy. Recent data (ISTAT 2023) show that migrant women are generally more educated than their male counterparts, yet they face a higher risk of overqualification or unemployment upon arrival. What are the barriers hindering their successful integration? This study seeks to answer this question by demonstrating that the social, legal, and economic context in Italy—while hostile for all migrants—is particularly oriented towards the deskilling of migrant women. Drawing on Castles' concept of “differential exclusion” (Castles 1995), it is argued that highly-skilled migrant women experience a form of exclusion that not only limits their professional integration, but also contributes to the waste of highly valuable human capital. The research builds on previous academic literature and on the analysis of statistical data, institutional reports, and legal documents to examine the systemic barriers embedded in labor market structures, migration policies, and gendered norms. Additionally, it presents good practices by exploring the ongoing EU-funded WISER project as a potential model for addressing these challenges.