Partner ethnicity and ethnic minority socio- economic occupation: evidence from the UK

Abstract

What role does integration play in reducing disparities in the labour market between ethnic minority and white majority populations? We shed light on this question by comparing the socio-economic positions of ethnic minorities in co- and inter-ethnic partnerships. We implement propensity score matching techniques to account for selection bias. We find that ethnic minorities in co- and inter-ethnic unions are rarely comparable and a large part of the labour market differences is explained by their individual socio-demographic characteristics. Finally, having a white majority group partner affects the occupational position and labour market participation of only some groups of women.