GENDERED ETHNIC NICHES AND OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY OF POLISH MIGRANTS IN MADRID

This article analyses the factors that determine changes in the occupational position between the first and the current job in Spain among Polish immigrants residing in the Community of Madrid. The main objective is to establish if, and to what extent, working in gendered ethnic niches has an impact on occupational mobility in the host country. Combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, the data reveal stark differences in the occupational mobility of male and female populations. Compared to males, females experience higher inter-sectoral, and lower occupational mobility. Furthermore, the analysis shows that upward mobility depends on the opportunities offered by the structure of each sector, as well as on gendered productive and reproductive roles. Among men, the likelihood of upward mobility is not increased by entering or abandoning the ethnic niche. In contrast, women who left the niche between their first and current job in Spain have higher probabilities of upward occupational mobility. Because women with children often depend on the convenience of the flexible schedules in the domestic service sector, this niche is more often abandoned by women who have no children or who are highly motivated (with a higher level of education)