Why is the low-skilled employment rate so low in France, Spain and Italy?

Relative to the other large OECD countries, France, Spain and Italy are characterised by a low employment rate, which results primarily from a low employment rate among the low-skilled. Why is the low-skilled employment rate so low in these three countries? We look at the various possible explanations , comparing across OECD countries: Low-skilled labour costs; Labour market rules; The skill level of the low-skilled; Growth in unsophisticated services. Given the role s of the various possible explanatory variables, the only pertinent one seems to be the low skill level of the low-skilled in France, Spain and Italy.