“Migrant capital” and domestic work: labour trajectories of immigrant women in Spain

Abstract

This article analyses the labour trajectory of migrant women in domestic service. The research considers women’s working conditions upon arrival, or their “migrant capital” (i.e. their human, social and economic capital) as the defining factors in their labour trajectories. The study, conducted on a sample of migrant women in domestic service, reveals the different value each type of capital has at each stage of a labour trajectory. The social network is the core capital in their first job. Nevertheless, the key factors in labour mobility are human capital and a household’s financial needs. The processes of administrative regularization and family reunification prompt far-reaching changes in these women’s labour trajectories. Finally, labour trajectories during the economic crisis have been shaped by financial needs, leading to a decapitalization of the human capital acquired, with even legal status surrendering its value.