The enduring connection between gender, migration and household services

Abstract

The expanding literature analysing the way in which gender shapes migration highlights the high level of demand for migrant women to render household services in Southern Europe. However, while studies assessed the characteristics of the phenomenon during the expansion phase to the economic cycle, it was unclear what the situation in times of uncertainty would be, and what consequences this would have for migration regulations and the labour market. The work described in this article sought to respond to the above questions by exploring more fully the enduring connection between gender, migration and household services in Spain, and by analysing the role and consequences of the statuses of immigrant women as regards invisibility and irregularity.