Are Refugees' Labour Market Outcomes Different from Those of Other Migrants? Evidence from the United Kingdom in the 2005–2007 Period

an article by Isabel Ruiz and Carlos Vargas-Silva (University of Oxford, UK) published in Population, Space and Place Volume 23 Issue 6 (August 2017)

Abstract

We compare the labour market outcomes of recent refugees in the 2005–2007 period with those of other migrants in the UK. We compare refugees with a full sample of migrants and with a sample of recent migrants.

Controlling for relevant characteristics, we find that 8 and 15 months after the grant of protection, refugees have significantly worse outcomes than other migrants, including a lower likelihood of being in employment and higher likelihood of unemployment (i.e. not currently employed, but looking for work).

However, 21 months after the grant of protection, the labour market outcomes of recent refugees are not statistically different from those of recent migrants, and the difference with those in the full sample of migrants becomes smaller.

Results also show that female refugees are at a substantial economic disadvantage compared with male refugees and other female migrants.

---

Age at immigration matters for labor market integration – the Swedish example

an article by Bjorn Anders Gustafsson (University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn, Germany) and Hanna Mac Innes and Torun Österberg (University of Gothenburg, Sweden) published in IZA Journal of Development and Migration Volume 7 Issue 1 (2017)

Abstract

This paper analyses how age at immigration to Sweden and getting a first foothold in the labor market is related. We estimate hazard rate models using registry data on all persons who arrived in each of the years 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002.

The results show that the number of years taken to get a foothold in the Swedish labor market increases rapidly by age among immigrants from middle- and low-income countries aged 40+.

Most individuals who are born in middle- or low-income countries who immigrate after age 50 never get a foothold in the Swedish labor market.

JEL classification: J15, J21, J61

Full text (PDF)

---

Labour market integration of immigrants in the EU: key trends and policy issues

a discussion paper by Anna Platonova (Regional Office for EEA, EU AND NATO, International Organization for Migration (IOM)) published by Itinera Institute for International Organization for Migration (March 2013)

Abstract

One of the main challenges of an effective integration policy is that its intersection with a number of other major policy areas, such as protection of human and labour rights, promoting equal opportunities and non-discrimination, employment and labour market policy, regional development, national security, social cohesion, public health, education, and naturalisation and citizenship.

IOM takes a comprehensive view of integration policy as a set of legal and policy measures that define the parameters of migrants’ stay and involvement in the country of destination, which go beyond specific immigration and integration measures, but extend to mainstreaming migration considerations into relevant areas of economic and social governance. In particular, it is of paramount importance to move towards improving the knowledge of effective immigrant integration governance in each related policy field, including employment and education, as well as developing mechanisms for inter-policy coordination.

This paper presents an overview of the key trends in the European Union with respect to labour market integration outcomes for immigrants, and the relevant areas for public policy engagement, as well as proposed recommendations. The paper largely draws on several studies carried out by the IOM Independent Network of Labour Migration and Integration Experts (LINET) in 2010-2012 based at the Regional Office of IOM in Brussels and funded by Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission.1

Full text (PDF 18pp)

---