Language Training and Refugees' Integration

Arendt, Jacob Nielsen; Bolvig, Iben; Foged, Mette; Hasager, Linea; Peri, Giovanni

doi:10.3386/w26834

Cited by 36 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…While life satisfaction of refugees with poor language skills declines over time, it increases among refugees with good or very good German skills at the first interview. This finding might indicate that skills in the language of the destination country are a crucial precondition for integration in the receiving societya finding in line with the prior literature on refugees (van Tubergen, 2010;Arendt et al, 2020).…”

Section: Development Of Refugees' Life Satisfaction and Self-rated Health Over Time And The Role Of Postarrival Experiencessupporting

confidence: 89%

The Impact of Pre- and Postarrival Mechanisms on Self-rated Health and Life Satisfaction Among Refugees in Germany

et al. 2021

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In this study, we focus on the evolution of refugees’ well-being in the first years after their arrival in Germany. In contrast to other immigrants (e.g., labor migrants), refugees experience higher risks of unexpected and traumatic events and insecurity before and during their migration and face various legal and structural barriers in the receiving country. We contribute to the existing literature by exploring from a dynamic perspective possible pre- and postarrival determinants of refugees’ life satisfaction and self-rated health upon arrival in Germany and the development of their life satisfaction and self-rated health in the process of becoming established. Applying linear regression and panel models with recent longitudinal data from the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees in Germany, we find significant effects of prearrival factors, such as traumatic experiences and the complexity of migration, on both life satisfaction and self-rated health at the time of the first interview. Regarding postarrival factors, our results suggest that improvement in language proficiency and labor market status significantly shape refugees’ life satisfaction and self-rated health. The time-dynamic analyses reveal substantial improvements in life satisfaction upon the approval of refugee status and the transition from shared housing to private accommodations. However, we find no improvements in self-rated health due to legal status but rather deterioration effects due to long-term residence in shared housing.

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Section: Development Of Refugees' Life Satisfaction and Self-rated Health Over Time And The Role Of Postarrival Experiencessupporting

confidence: 89%

The Impact of Pre- and Postarrival Mechanisms on Self-rated Health and Life Satisfaction Among Refugees in Germany

et al. 2021

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“…For example, many studies show important associations between language skills and employment outcomes, 5 but only a few utilize exogenous variation. Exceptions include Lochmann et al (2019), Sarvimäki and Hämäläinen (2016) and Arendt et al (2020). Lochmann et al (2019) study the effects of language training in France and find positive effects on labor force participation, where the discontinuity originates from test scores on an initial language exam.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using a discontinuity originating from a reform, Sarvimäki and Hämäläinen (2016) find increased earnings for unemployed immigrants receiving more language training. Arendt et al (2020) use exogenous variation created by a Danish reform to study effects of improved and more intensive language training. While their point estimates indicate positive effects on earnings over an eighteen year period for treated individuals, their estimated standard errors are relatively large.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Labor Market Integration of Low-Educated Refugees: RCT Evidence from an Ambitious Integration Program in Sweden

Dahlberg

Egebark

Vikman³

et al. 2021

SSRN Journal

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This paper evaluates an ambitious and newly designed program for increased integration in Sweden. The purpose of the program is to help newly arrived, low-educated refugees into employment. The program includes four main components: (1) intensive initial language training, (2) work practice under close supervision, (3) job search assistance, and (4) extended cooperation between the local public sector and firms. An important feature of the program is that the demand side of the labor market, represented by the largest real estate company in Gothenburg, is involved in designing the program. Our evaluation is based on a randomized controlled trial, where potential participants in one of the first waves were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The paper presents results from the first two years after randomization. Using inference based on Fisher's exact test, we show that the program has positive effects on employment: around 30% of the individuals in the treatment group are employed each month during the first year following the end of the program, compared to an average of approximately 15% in the control group.

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“…5 Several studies (see, for example, Edin et al (2003), Damm (2009), and Beaman (2012)) have found that living in regions with high concentrations of co-ethnic individuals can improve refugees' labor market outcomes. Arendt et al (2020) analyze the impact of an expansion of language training for refugees in Denmark. They show that, after eighteen years refugees who received more and better language training were more likely to be in employment and had higher earnings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First Time Around: Local Conditions and Multi-dimensional Integration of Refugees

2020

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We study the causal effect of local labor market conditions and attitudes towards immigrants at the time of arrival on refugees' multi-dimensional integration outcomes (economic, linguistic, navigational, political, psychological, and social). Using a unique dataset on refugees, we leverage a centralized allocation policy in Germany where refugees were exogenously assigned to live in specific counties. We find that high initial local unemployment negatively affects refugees' economic and social integration: they are less likely to be in education or employment and they earn less. We also show that favorable attitudes towards immigrants promote refugees' economic and social integration. The results suggest that attitudes toward immigrants are as important as local unemployment rates in shaping refugees' integration outcomes. Using a machine learning classifier algorithm, we find that our results are driven by older people and those with secondary or tertiary education. Our findings highlight the importance of both initial economic and social conditions for facilitating refugee integration, and have implications for the design of centralized allocation policies.

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Language Training and Refugees' Integration

Cited by 36 publications

References 17 publications

The Impact of Pre- and Postarrival Mechanisms on Self-rated Health and Life Satisfaction Among Refugees in Germany

The Impact of Pre- and Postarrival Mechanisms on Self-rated Health and Life Satisfaction Among Refugees in Germany

Labor Market Integration of Low-Educated Refugees: RCT Evidence from an Ambitious Integration Program in Sweden

First Time Around: Local Conditions and Multi-dimensional Integration of Refugees

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