Statistical Journal of the IAOS
Volume 31, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 341-367

Integrating refugees in the United States: The successes and challenges of resettlement in a Global Context (Review)

Capps R.* , Newland K. , Fratzke S. , Groves S. , Auclair G. , Fix M. , McHugh M.
  • a Migration Policy Institute, 1400, 16th St NW, Washington, DC, United States
  • b Migration Policy Institute, 1400, 16th St NW, Washington, DC, United States
  • c Migration Policy Institute, 1400, 16th St NW, Washington, DC, United States
  • d Migration Policy Institute, 1400, 16th St NW, Washington, DC, United States
  • e Migration Policy Institute, 1400, 16th St NW, Washington, DC, United States
  • f Migration Policy Institute, 1400, 16th St NW, Washington, DC, United States
  • g Migration Policy Institute, 1400, 16th St NW, Washington, DC, United States

Abstract

In 2014 there were more than 14 million refugees worldwide and almost a million places for permanent resettlement were needed. This article reviews administrative and survey data on the characteristics and integration outcomes of refugees resettled in the United States, Canada and Scandinavia. Refugees to these destinations are increasingly diverse in their origins and languages-posing challenges for host communities. Refugees in the United States tend to be employed due to an early focus on self-sufficiency there, but those in Sweden and Norway have low employment rates, with Canada representing a middle ground. While limited English skills slow integration in the United States and Canada, acquiring Norwegian and Swedish is tougher because refugees are seldom exposed to these languages before resettlement. In the United States, older refugee cohorts have reached income parity with the U.S.-born population, but those resettled since the 2008-09 recession have started at a greater employment and income disadvantage. This article describes the administrative and survey data on U.S. refugees in rich detail, but the available administrative data for refugees in Canada, Norway and Sweden have yet to be fully mined. © 2015 - IOS Press and the authors.

Author Keywords

Norway Sweden Refugees United States Administrative data Immigration Canada

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84941272401&doi=10.3233%2fSJI-150918&partnerID=40&md5=37b823e9ba71f223a17e406558f20c07
DOI: 10.3233/SJI-150918
ISSN: 18747655
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English