Occupational segregation in Spain: Differential treatment of immigrants

Spain today faces simultaneously one of the world's largest immigrant populations and one of the highest unemployment rates. This difficult dilemma makes it a test case for how rich countries should deal with a surplus immigrant population. Do Spanish markets and policies make it more difficult to absorb immigrants? What policies could help? What are the consequences if the challenge is not faced successfully? This article focuses on the occupational segregation between Spanish and foreign workers. It explores whether observed characteristics (gender, age, and education) aggravate segregation, and suggests policies to promote inclusion of immigrants in developed countries. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.