International Migration and Vulnerability in the Ivorian Labor Market*

This study examines the relationship between international migration and vulnerability in the labor market in Côte d'Ivoire, using data from the Harmonized Household Living Conditions Survey (HHLCS) of 2021. A Labor Market Vulnerability Index (LMVI), constructed from five dimensions (economic, social, institutional, gender and territorial), is derived through a Principal Component Analysis. The results show that migrants’ vulnerability stems more from a lack of formalization and social protection than from low incomes, with institutional (0.228) and social (0.222) dimensions accounting for nearly 45% of the variance. The Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition shows an almost zero LMVI gap (−0.003) between migrants and non-migrants, indicating that differences in individual characteristics are offset by structural factors. In this study, the structural component of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition refers explicitly to differences in the returns to observable characteristics, which may reflect labor market segmentation or discrimination. This apparent near-equality confirms the structural nature of vulnerability, with migrants remaining confined to informal segments that are poorly protected. The study highlights the need for a link connecting employment and migration policies, focusing on the formalization of jobs, the recognition of skills and the portability of social rights, in line with the objectives of decent work and Agenda 2063.