Atypical work and the social protection of migrants in Europe

Policy Study

An analysis based on real cases

In what cases, and according to what criteria, can the contractual relationship between an employee and his/her employer be defined as standard, hybrid or atypical? Why do social security institutions in European countries sometimes take into account periods of work the person has done in other countries and sometimes not? And above all, what specific impact can work with non-standard contracts have on the migration path of a person moving from one European country to another?

For a migrant, can a non-standard job ultimately be a good stepping stone to a more stable professional integration or, on the contrary, does it entail the risk of being trapped in a second-class relationship?

This Policy Study analyses the effect that atypical contracts have on social protection rights and the rights of migrants connected to their ‘foreigner’ status, such as access to host country nationality, family reunification, and right of residence.