Most of the current migration of women to the European Union is now employment-oriented. Nevertheless, it is widely recognized that this population of women faces a “double disadvantage” in the labor market, as women and as migrants.

A study conducted by Microsoft among 530 immigrant women in 5 EU countries identified how access to IT is critical to improving social and economic status and finding a job. About a third of the immigrant women have basic computer and Internet skills, 32% have intermediate computer skills and 22% have intermediate Internet skills. Slightly over 20% of the women reported no e-skills at all.

Digital skills are particularly valued by native-born women (76%) and less by immigrant women (59%), reflecting their different backgrounds. In this sample, 306 women reported attending 612 training courses. Only one sixth of the sample (58 women) did not participate in any training courses.

Overall, the most popular area of training was e-skills (43%, including basic and advanced levels). The other two were equally popular: host-country language (30%) and vocational training (27%).

Problems cited by respondents in their new environment include: language-learning, employment issues, social marginalization, and bureaucratic procedures. The suggestions they offered tend to focus on social inclusion, and on the quality of public and nonprofit services and employment centers. Developing e-skills, especially in combination with the training experience itself, more than by acquiring basic digital competences, but also helping to expand their social networks and overcoming language barriers through e-learning, is a most significant factor in finding employment.