Dublin - Immigrants are more likely to be unemployed and less likely to secure professional and managerial positions, a report published Wednesday in Dublin shows.

The report, Immigrants at Work: Ethnicity and Nationality in the Irish Labour Market, by researchers from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and supported by the Equality Authority, was based on information from Ireland's Central Statistics Office.

ESRI researchers Dr Philip J O'Connell and Dr Frances McGinnity found that black people were nine times more likely to be unemployed than Irish nationals, while immigrants from non-English-speaking countries were largely excluded from the most privileged occupations.

Immigrants were three times more likely to report discrimination than Irish nationals when trying to find a job. For black people the rate was seven times higher.

Once at work, immigrants were twice as likely to report discrimination.

"The overall picture shows that immigrants, considered as a group, fare less well than Irish nationals in the Irish labour market: they are more likely to suffer unemployment and less likely to secure higher level occupations," ESRI head of social research O'Connell said.

"This report provides a valuable and timely baseline picture of the labour market experiences of migrant workers," Equality Authority chief executive Niall Crowley said.

"It should serve as a basis from which to monitor and respond to this experience. This is particularly important as we move into more turbulent economic circumstances."

Crowley said that labour programmes were needed to get refugees off welfare and into work, while English courses would address the language deficit. (dpa)