Gli immigrati nei mercati del lavoro: il ruolo delle reti sociali

The paper reasons about new migrations inclusion processes within labour market, analysing the Italian case in the light of migration studies acquisitions. It focuses, therefore, on social capital and ethnic networks concepts, showing their good points and limits. These resources had, even in a country characterised by a high level of unemployment, a determinant role favouring occupational inclusion of immigrants who spontaneously and informally arrived without an explicit requests from the labour demand. Differences among the ways immigrant national groups self-organise reflect in their capacity to promote compatriot labour inclusion, and therefore in employment rates. The paper shows, as well, the potential negative effects of social networks, concerning stagnation in unqualified jobs and development of perverse networks, given to human being traffic and compatriot exploitation. Moreover, an adequate immigrant labour market functioning should take into account the role of autochtonous institutions and agencies, particularly that of supporting institution promoted by the third sector: their logistic and informative help, including introduction to employers, integrates and accompanies ethnic networks activism. The author proposes, in the end, a general interpretation model of immigrant labour market, that takes into account these different elements.