ABSTRACT
Work, or in other words integration into the German labour market, is defined in migration research as the main path to inclusion by which migrants become integrated into the host society. Qualifications gained in the receiving country undoubtedly play a crucial role here, but ultimately, successful integration is mainly measured by the individual migrant’s success on the labour market. Here, ‘integration’ primarily means integration into the regular labour market. It goes without saying that the significance of education must not be underestimated. Vocational qualifications and university degrees set the course for potential entry to the regular labour market, easing access to it, while those who leave school without qualifications tend to end up in unskilled or semi-skilled jobs. In the event of economic fluctuations, however, these kinds of jobs tend to be affected by redundancies more frequently and more severely than skilled jobs that require qualifications.
