16. The General and the Task-Specific Human Capital of Migrants: Host Country Perspective

This chapter analyses immigrant-native human capital gap and factors behind it in fifteen European countries. It employs a broad definition of human capital, incorporating the general human capital and the specific human capital, which refers to the task-specific abilities accumulated and developed through performing certain job tasks. The chapter conducts a twofold analysis, relying on the Programme of International Assessment of Adult of Competencies (PIAAC). Firstly, it explores immigrant-native disparities in inner abilities, measured by the literacy and numeracy skills. Secondly, the research tackles the immigrant-native gaps in on-the-job use of cognitive skills, measured by self-reported intensity of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills use at work. The results indicate that immigrants face a number of disadvantages that may persist independently of their inner abilities. Immigrant-native gaps in skills use at work indicate that immigrants are not sufficiently well assimilated in the European labour markets. Therefore, an underuse of immigrants’ skills and competencies is an important dimension of the immigrants’ integration issue.