A new research has revealed that Indian Hindus are the second highest in Britain to have a salaried job after the British Jews, while the Muslims in Britain face the worst job discrimination of any minority group, with the lowest chance of being in work or a managerial role. However, the research further said that amongst Muslim men, Indians are more likely to find a job than their Pakistani or Bangladeshi counterpart.
Researchers Dr Nabil Khattab and Professor Ron Johnston using data from the Office for National Statistics' Labour Force Survey of more than half a million people have revealed that the most disadvantaged in terms of employment prospects out of 14 ethno-religious groupings in the UK are the Muslims, though skin colour made little difference to the figures.
Dr Khattab, of Bristol University, reportedly said the situation was "likely to stem from placing Muslims collectively at the lowest stratum within the country's racial or ethno-cultural system due to growing Islamophobia and hostility against them...”
He also added, "If this persists, it could have long-term implications for the cohesion of the UK's multi-ethnic, multicultural society. The exclusion of well-qualified black and Muslim individuals could undermine their willingness to integrate in the wider society.”
The Social Science Journal study found that amongst women, Muslim Pakistanis and a "Muslim other" group were 65% less likely to have a job, with Muslim Indians 55%, Muslim Bangladeshis 51% and white Muslims 43% less likely. For men, the "Muslim other" group was 76% less likely to be in work, followed by Muslim Bangladeshis (66%), white Muslims (64%), Muslim Pakistanis (59%) and Muslim Indians (37%). White British men and women of no religion were, respectively, 20 and 25% less likely to have a job than Christians. Black Christians with Caribbean origins were 54% and 48% less likely.
The only ethno-religious group with better work prospects than white British Christians were British Jews, with women and men 29 and 15% more likely to be employed.
Of those in work, the researchers found only 23% and 27% of Muslim Bangladeshis and Muslim Pakistanis, respectively, had a salaried job. White British Jews had the highest rates, with 64% in salaried jobs, followed by Hindu Indians and white Christian Irish on 53 and 51% respectively. White British Christians, white British of no religion and black Christian Africans were all above 40 per cent.
