This report analyses the transition of young people to formality and emphasizes the need for a life course, or trajectory, approach to examining formality in the labour market. It describes the age-related formality profile and its characteristics, causes, consequences and policy implications. The most important conclusion is that policies aimed at the transition of young people to formality affect not only a young worker’s current situation, but rather the lifetime formality profile of that individual. Current youth employment strategies should make young people aware of the long-term implications that a good start to their working lives has on their entire careers.