Understanding and implementing effective policies is crucial for their immediate well-being and the broader economic and human capital of both refugee and host communities. Immigrant integration, often described in terms of the ability of immigrants to lead successful lives within their host societies, involves accessing resources like economic opportunities, language skills, and social networks, crucial for navigating institutional landscapes and realizing potential.
This dynamic, two-way process is influenced by both immigrants and the societal structures of the host country. The project explores the causal effects of policies on immigrant integration outcomes through natural experiments and detailed data analysis in three Nordic countries, employing registry data and harmonized survey data to study economic, social, and political aspects of integration. The combination of administrative data and surveys helps understand refugees' sense of belonging and social identities, aspects not captured by registry data alone.
The project also delves into specific integration policies, such as language training and welfare benefits. Language training has been shown to improve employment outcomes and resident stability, particularly benefiting women and subsequent generations. Conversely, the effects of welfare payments on employment appear mixed, and there is no evidence yet of the effects on broader integration measures.
Furthermore, the project seeks to understand how policy-driven changes affect non-direct indicators of integration like trust and gender equality attitudes. It challenges the assumption that economic and social integration are synonymous, pointing to the "integration paradox" where economically successful immigrants may feel socially and politically disengaged.
Overall, the project highlights the complexity of integration processes and the need for nuanced, data-driven policy interventions to support immigrant populations effectively, with a particular focus on the integration of vulnerable groups amid increasing global displacement.