Migrant key workers in the COVID-19 pandemic

• Author: Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
• Pages: 469-470

COVID-19 AND MIGRATION / ATLAS OF MIGRATION 2020

469

6. MIGRANT KEY WORKERS IN THE

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

23 Formoreinformationseehttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX3A52020XC0330280329

24 Fasani,FandMazza,J,2020

Asnotedearlier,duringtherstfewmonthsof2020highly

stringentmeasurestoaddressthespreadofCOVID-19were

rapidlyestablishedacrosstheEU.Thisinvolvedextensive

‘lockdowns’whichconnedlargesectionsoftheworkforce

totheirhomesandtheclosureofmanyproductivesectors

andservices.But tokeepcertain essentialfunctionsof

Europe’ssocieties functioning so-called ‘key workers’

weregrantedexceptions inmanyplaces. TheEuropean

CommissionGuidelinesconcerningtheexerciseofthefree

movementofworkersduringCOVID-19outbreak(2020/C

102I/03)alsosetoutalistofworkerroleswhichshould

beallowedtocrossbordersbecausethey‘exercisecritical

occupationsbyperformingactivities relatedtoessential

services.’23

AJRCstudy ontherole ofmigrantsin thesekeyworker

rolesconcludedthatthe EU’smigrantworkforce‘actsas

anintegralpartinkeepingbasicandnecessaryfunctions

of European societies working amidst the periods of

forced closure’.24 These workers played a vital role

keepingEuropeancitizenshealthyandsafeandensuring

accesstobasicservicesduringthepandemic.Thissection

synthesisesdatafrom thatstudytoillustrate theextent

towhichmigrantshavecontributedthroughtheirrolesas

keyworkersduringthepandemic.

AscanbeseenintheleftmapofFigure21,keyworkersmake

upasignicantproportionoftheEUlabourforce.Overall,

around31of theemployedworking-ageindividuals in

theEUperformkeyfunctions.Thelargestvecategoriesof

keyworkersareteachingprofessionals,skilledagricultural

workers,scienceandengineeringassociateprofessionals,

FIGURE 21. SHAREOFKEYWORKERSINTHEEUMEMBERSTATESIN2018(LEFTMAP).SHAREOFFOREIGNBORNAMONGKEYWORKERSINTHE

EUMEMBERSTATESIN2018(RIGHTMAP-BACKGROUNDCOLOUR)ANDPERCENTAGEOFEUBORNANDNON-EUBORNAMONGFOREIGNBORN

KEYWORKERSOVERTHESAMEYEAR(RIGHTMAP-PIECHARTS).DATAFORMALTAISNOTAVAILABLE.

SOURCE:EC’SKCMDELABORATIONOFEULABOURFORCESURVEY(LFS)MICRODATA

32%

29%

12%

40%

39%

32%

17%

34%

29%

30%

32%

32%

34%

29%

37%

40%

40%

35%

29%

43%

30%

29%

13%

38%

34%

© 2020 Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

pag_1_map

20% 40%

Share of Key Workers

Map based on Longitude (generated) and Latitude (generated). olor shows sum of Key Worker. The marks are labeled by sum of Key Worker. Details are shown for ountry.

26%

74%

6%

94%

6%

94%

62% 10 %

90%

35%

25%

75%

27%

73% 41%

59%

45%

55%

53%

47%

78%

22%

52%

48%

46%

54%

72%

28%

29%

71%

31%

69%

84%

16%

84%

33%

67%

80%

25%

75%

28%

72%

19%

43%

57%

38%

65%

16%

20%

81%

37%

63%

26%

74%

6%

94% 6%

94%

62%

10%

90%

35% 25%

75%

27%

73% 41%

59%

45%

55% 53%

47%

78%

22%

52%

48%

46%

54% 72%

28%29%

71%

31%

69%

84%

16%

84%

33%

67% 80%

25%

75%

28%

72%

19%

43%

57%

38%

65% 16%

20%

81%

37%

63%

© Mapbox © OSM

Sheet 1 (4)

road group of origin

EU mobile

non-EU

0% 30%

Share of foreigners among key workers

32%

29%

12%

40%

39%

32%

17%

34%

29%

30%

32%

32%

34%

29%

40%

40%

35%

29%

43%

30%

29%

13%

38% 34%

© Mapbox © OSM

pag_1_map

20% 40%

Share of Key Workers



© 2020 Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

Key workers' citizenship:



© 2020 Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

Share of Key Workers

0% 30%

S

hare of foreign born among key workers

F

oreign born key workers

born in another EU MS

born in a non-EU country