Las trayectorias laborales de los inmigrantes rumanos cualificados en Barcelona

Abstract

The current economic crisis faced by most European countries and the fact that migration represents an inseparable segment of the national economy, are two elements that lead, now more than ever, to a savage competition for attracting highly skilled labor force. Regarding the particular case of Spain, starting from 2000 this country discovers its place as a receiving country, attracting especially unskilled immigrants in housing and agriculture sectors, in the case of men, and domestic service, in the case of women. On the other hand, Romania becomes a provider of labor force for Southern European countries, in response to the increasing demand in unskilled sectors. As a result, in 2012 Romanian population represents 15,7% of the total of immigrant population in Spain with more than 890.000 Romanians living and working in this country (Padrón, 2012). Nevertheless, from 2007, when Romania becomes one of the E.U. members, scholars highlight a diversification of the flow proceeding from this country, with a significant increase of highly skilled profile. With these elements in mind, and taking into account the economic situation of Spain, we should understand the Romanian professionals in Spain as a peripheral profile that develops international careers in a hostile reception context. Therefore, the main objective of the current dissertation is to identify the elements that shape the labor trajectories of skilled Romanian migrants in Barcelona and to explain the role played by the incorporation into the Spanish labor market, in the overall career of these professionals. Regarding the core hypothesis, the labor trajectories shaped by these migrants is marked by the principle of life span development, the principle of agency, the principle of linked lives (social networks), the principle of time and place (Elder, 1993); and, on the other hand, by characteristics of the receiving context and the ability to transfer competences, abilities and professional experience in particular contexts. In order to achieve the objectives, the dissertation is structured in 4 parts. After a brief introduction explaining the way highly skilled Romanian migrations should be understood in the Spanish context, the first part included the theoretical framework. With the life course perspective (trajectory, turning point, transition) as a starting point, the second part of the dissertation includes the overall context and how Romania becomes a country of emigration in the last 20 years. The third part presents the methodological approach. Regarding this particular aspect, the research is based on a mixed method design. In a first stage, it was conducted an online survey on 217 members of a Romanian organization (GRASP) that promote brain networking throughout projects that connect Romanian professionals all around the world. After performing a cluster analysis, the characteristics of the cluster 3 were used in order to select the interviewers in Barcelona. The main results of the qualitative (30 biographical interviews) and quantitative fieldwork are presented in the fourth part of the dissertation that ends up with the final conclusions and reflections.

Date of Award	13 May 2013
Original language	Spanish
Supervisor	Luisa Carlota Solé Puig (Director) & Joan Miquel Verd Pericas (Director)