Who Benefits from Digitalisation? Gender and Migration Gaps in Employment across EU Countries

Digitalization has often been discussed as an opportunity to promote social equality and create job opportunities. Nevertheless, there is growing evidence suggesting that the effects of digitalization on job creation are uneven and largely depend on the already existing inequalities. This research seeks to examine the relationship between digitalization and employment in EU member states considering the roles of gender and migration. Namely, the influence of increasing internet use on employment will be evaluated regarding women and first and second generations of migrants based on a short panel data set for 2021-2024.

It has been revealed that digitalization positively impacts employment; however, this correlation varies depending on the studied group. Second-generation migrants appear to benefit more from improved employment because of the wider use of the internet than first-generation migrants who cannot reap similar rewards. Moreover, as regards the gender aspect, digitalization does not have any notable effects on the labor market and provides limited opportunities for women's employment.