In France there are no different categories of immigrants or local people when it comes to welfare policies. It is thus difficult to know who makes or receives what. We do know, for example, that more immigrants claim unemployment benefits than non-immigrants: in the former, 17.3% of women and 16.3% of men are unemployed, compared to 10% and 9.7% of the total population.
However, a 2005 study by the economist Xavier Chojnicki revealed that while immigrants received more benefits for housing, welfare and unemployment than non-immigrants, they also contributed more than others.
The difference can be discerned in pensions. Immigrant populations have a different age structure. They are younger (comparatively too), and are thus more active (55% are between 22 and 55 compared to 40% of the population). Therefore they pay out more, all the while receiving less child benefit or pensions.
Le Monde
