Department of Political and Social Sciences Caring migrants in European welfare regimes: The policies and practice of migrant labour filling the gaps in social care Franca Janna van Hooren Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of Political and Social Sciences of the European University Institute Florence, March 2011 VAN HOOREN, Franca Janna (2011), Caring Migrants in European Welfare Regimes: The policies and practice of migrant labour filling the gaps in social care European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/27881 EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE Department of Political and Social Sciences Caring migrants in European welfare regimes: The policies and practice of migrant labour filling the gaps in social care Franca Janna van Hooren Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of Political and Social Sciences of the European University Institute Examining Board: Prof. Martin Kohli, European University Institute Dr. Virginie Guiraudon, Ceraps, Université Lille 2 Prof. Anton Hemerijck, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Prof. Chiara Saraceno, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung © 2011, Franca van Hooren No part of this thesis may be copied, reproduced or transmitted without prior permission of the author VAN HOOREN, Franca Janna (2011), Caring Migrants in European Welfare Regimes: The policies and practice of migrant labour filling the gaps in social care European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/27881 ii VAN HOOREN, Franca Janna (2011), Caring Migrants in European Welfare Regimes: The policies and practice of migrant labour filling the gaps in social care European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/27881 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Emerging gaps in social care and the importance of migrant workers ................................. 2 1.2 Limitations of existing research ......................................................................................... 7 1.3 Understanding social care and migration ........................................................................... 8 1.4 What follows ....................................................................................................................12 2 MIGRATION, CARE AND THE WELFARE STATE: AN ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK ......................................................................................................................15 2.1 A framework for analysis: types of care work and types of policy developments ...............16 2.2 Why migrants work in social care .....................................................................................20 2.3 Understanding policy developments .................................................................................32 2.4 Method: a comparative case study analysis .......................................................................37 3 ITALY: PRIVATE MIGRANT CARE WORK AS A CONVENIENT SOLUTION .................41 3.1 Care and migration in Italy ...............................................................................................42 3.2 Towards a ‘migrant in the family’ model of care...............................................................49 3.3 Explaining the reliance on private care workers ................................................................55 3.4 Policy developments: embracing the ‘migrant in the family’ model of care .......................64 3.5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................80 4 THE UNITED KINGDOM: A RELUCTANT RELIANCE ON MIGRANT CARE WORK .....83 4.1 Care and migration in the United Kingdom .......................................................................84 4.2 Migrant workers in social care ..........................................................................................94 4.3 Explaining reliance on migrant workers in agency-based and private care ....................... 100 4.4 Policy developments: ambivalent responses .................................................................... 109 4.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 121 5 THE NETHERLANDS: THE STATE SHAPING THE SOCIAL CARE SECTOR ................. 123 5.1 Care and migration in the Netherlands ............................................................................ 124 5.2 The limited importance of migrant workers in social care ............................................... 133 5.3 Explaining the limited importance of migrant workers .................................................... 139 5.4 Policy developments: maintaining quality care ............................................................... 146 5.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 162 6 WHY MIGRANTS WORK IN SOCIAL CARE ..................................................................... 165 6.1 The importance of migrant care workers: a summary ...................................................... 165 6.2 Employment conditions and migrant workers ................................................................. 167 6.3 Labour market regime and formal care work................................................................... 170 iii VAN HOOREN, Franca Janna (2011), Caring Migrants in European Welfare Regimes: The policies and practice of migrant labour filling the gaps in social care European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/27881 6.4 Social care policies and care regimes .............................................................................. 172 6.5 The impact of immigration policies ................................................................................ 185 6.6 Economic circumstances, crisis, and the flexibility of demand for migrant labour ........... 189 6.7 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 190 7 POLICY DEVELOPMENTS: ARE MIGRANT CARE WORKERS A DESIRED SOLUTION? ........................................................................................................................ 193 7.1 Policy developments related to migrant care work .......................................................... 193 7.2 Explaining developments in elderly care policy .............................................................. 198 7.3 Explaining developments in immigration policies ........................................................... 202 7.4 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 206 8 CONCLUSION: MIGRANT CARE WORK IN EUROPEAN WELFARE REGIMES ........... 209 8.1 Main findings ................................................................................................................. 210 8.2 Theoretical implications ................................................................................................. 212 8.3 Issues for consideration .................................................................................................. 213 8.4 The financial crisis, population ageing and the future of migrant care work in European welfare regimes .............................................................................................. 215 APPENDIX A: ADDITIONAL TABLES ....................................................................................... 217 APPENDIX B: LIST OF EXPECTATIONS ................................................................................... 221 APPENDIX C: LIST OF INTERVIEWS ........................................................................................ 223 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 227 iv VAN HOOREN, Franca Janna (2011), Caring Migrants in European Welfare Regimes: The policies and practice of migrant labour filling the gaps in social care European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/27881 ABSTRACT This study analyses the role of migrant workers in social care and the policy responses to this phenomenon in Italy, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In contrast to previous research on migrant care work, this study incorporates both private and agency-based employment in child and elderly care. It applies a comparative case study approach relying on micro level survey data, expert interviews, policy documents, newspaper articles and secondary sources. Theoretically the research engages with welfare regime theory and with theories on the politics of migration and the politics of the welfare state. The demand for migrant workers in social care is strongest in elderly care. Cross country differences are related to variation in employment conditions. Migrant workers are overrepresented when social care jobs are badly paid, offer limited career opportunities and require extensive shift work. These employment conditions are significantly shaped by social care policies. It is argued that a Familialistic care regime, as demonstrated by the Italian case, fosters the emergence of a ‘migrant in the family’ model of employment. A Liberal care regime, as revealed by the UK case, induces a ‘migrant in the market’ model. By contrast, a Social Democratic care regime, as approximated by the case of Dutch