Journal of International Migration and Integration
Volume 15, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 431-448

The Importance of Resources and Security in the Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees. A Study on the Impact of Length of Stay in Asylum Accommodation and Residence Status on Socio-Economic Integration for the Four Largest Refugee Groups in the Netherlands (Article)

Bakker L.* , Dagevos J. , Engbersen G.
  • a Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • b The Netherlands Institute for Social Research, The Hague, Netherlands
  • c Sociology Department at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

In many European countries, including the Netherlands, refugees stay in asylum accommodation pending a decision on their asylum request. While it seems evident that the lack of resources and insecurity about the future experienced during this stay will impact refugees' subsequent ability to integrate with the host society, so far this has hardly been studied in an extensive way. Also, the type of residence status granted can be a source of insecurity that impacts their integration. Previous studies on refugee integration have already shown the impact of pre-migration stressors such as traumatic experiences on mental health and integration. In this study, we use a large-scale dataset containing detailed information on about 4,000 refugees to show that also post-migration stressors affect mental health and hinder the socio-economic integration of the four largest refugee groups in the Netherlands: Afghan, Iraqi, Iranian and Somali. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Author Keywords

Integration Mental health Asylum accommodation Residence status Refugee

Index Keywords

Netherlands immigration policy social security asylum seeker policy approach socioeconomic status Asian immigrant refugee African immigrant
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84903891601&doi=10.1007%2fs12134-013-0296-2&partnerID=40&md5=58c913b620112868d4d65b78f869e406
DOI: 10.1007/s12134-013-0296-2
ISSN: 14883473
Cited by: 31
Original Language: English