Foreign Name Bias Worse in Jobs Than Housing, Study Finds

Job applicants with foreign-sounding names receive 29% fewer positive responses than those with local-sounding names, according to a landmark meta-analysis conducted by researchers from Ghent University (UGent) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The study, reported by De Morgen, reveals that name-based discrimination is nearly twice as severe in the labor market as it is in the housing market — a finding that challenges assumptions about where bias hits hardest.

The Scope of the Research

The meta-analysis is the first of its kind to systematically compare discrimination across both the job and housing markets simultaneously. Researchers examined 463 separate studies encompassing approximately 3,000 correspondence tests conducted between 2000 and 2024 across Europe, North America, and Asia. Correspondence tests involve sending matched pairs of applications — identical except for the name — to measure bias.

As The Brussels Times reports, the study found that on the housing market, the name-based discrimination gap is roughly half the size of the employment gap. However, a different pattern emerged for candidates receiving welfare benefits: they face over 30% less chance of a positive response on the housing market, while income-source-based discrimination in employment is minimal.

Why Employers Discriminate More

Lead researcher Louise Devos (UGent) offered insights into the mechanisms driving the disparity. “Perhaps it has to do with prejudices that customers or colleagues might react negatively to the candidate,” Devos said, explaining why ethnic discrimination is stronger in hiring than housing.

On the housing side, the dynamic is different. “At the end of the day, it’s the landlord who bears the risk if the rent isn’t paid,” Devos noted, explaining why landlords focus more on income source than ethnicity. This suggests that financial risk assessment drives housing discrimination, while social prejudice and perceived customer preferences drive employment discrimination.

Belgian Findings

The researchers isolated Belgian data from the global analysis and found the same patterns hold. One notable exception: discrimination based on sexual orientation is relatively rare in Belgium compared to other countries, suggesting that Belgian anti-discrimination measures in this area may be relatively effective.

Previous research by UGent and VUB has consistently documented discrimination in Belgium. In May 2025, a study on Antwerp’s housing and labor markets found that 35.3% of applicants with Flemish-sounding names received positive responses compared to significantly fewer for those with foreign-sounding names, as reported by VRT NWS.

Policy Recommendations

Devos put forward several targeted policy recommendations. For the labor market, she advocates for anonymous recruitment procedures to reduce bias against ethnic minorities. For housing candidates receiving welfare benefits, she emphasizes the need for sufficient and high-quality social housing.

She also called for greater transparency regarding the practice tests already commissioned by the Flemish government. “The results of those rarely come to light,” Devos said. “They rely very heavily on the sectors themselves to monitor and address the situation.”

Broader Implications

The study’s global scope — covering Europe, North America, and Asia — suggests that name-based discrimination in hiring is a widespread phenomenon requiring systemic solutions. The findings underscore that anti-discrimination policies must be tailored to specific markets and groups; a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient.

The study’s authors emphasize that correspondence tests measure initial access — callbacks and invitations — and that discrimination may persist at later stages of hiring and housing processes. With the Flemish government under renewed pressure to publish its commissioned practice test results, and with anti-discrimination advocates calling for stronger enforcement measures, the study adds fresh urgency to Belgium’s ongoing debate about integration and equal opportunity.

What to Watch For

The research raises important questions about whether name-based discrimination is decreasing, stable, or increasing over time. As policymakers weigh targeted interventions — from anonymous hiring procedures to expanded social housing — the study provides a robust evidence base for action.