Persistent inequalities around early motherhood? A comparison of maternal employment trajectories of natives, immigrants and their descendants in Spain

This study explores the native–immigrant employment gap around the transition to parenthood by comparing the employment trajectories of immigrants and their descendants with those of native-born Spanish mothers. Using sequence and cluster analysis with individual-level data from Spain, we reconstructed three years’ employment histories around the transition to motherhood and identified eight typical career trajectory types. Multinomial logistic regressions were then used to examine differences in maternal employment patterns by immigrant group and generation. Results reveal a substantial immigrant–native gap in maternal employment pathways. Immigrant mothers are more likely to experience long-term non-employment but are less likely than native-born mothers to undergo turbulent non-employment transitions or interrupted employment. Our findings also indicate upward assimilation among descendants of immigrants, who face fewer penalties in occupational attainment and greater access to stable permanent or self-employment trajectories, although they remain more prone to inactivity traps than their native counterparts. Compositional differences in human capital and citizenship status help reduce these gaps in maternal employment. By highlighting persistent inequalities in maternal employment patterns and their determinants, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the social and economic integration of immigrants and their descendants.