Labour market integration of refugees in developed countries: a comparison between Belgium and Switzerland

Author(s) : Pauline Cocquyt

Source : https://lib.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/002/784/414/RUG01-002784414_2019_0001_AC.pdf

Abstract:

“Refugees entail in the short-term unavoidable costs especially by an increased pressure on the social security system. On the medium and long term, the results are ambiguous as they fundamentally depend on the labour market integration. This master’s dissertation aims at analysing the refugee integration on the labour markets of developed countries and in particular of Belgium and Switzerland. We notice the remarkable lower employmentrate of refugees in Belgium. The main reasons we find for the inferior position of Belgium are: the rather large share of refugees originating from MENA compared to Switzerland, the poor knowledge of Dutch, the discrimination present on the labour market, the in tense competition on the labour market in sectors were many refugees are employed, the uncertainty refugees experience concerning the recognition of the asylum application and the passive labour market policy resulting from a rather generous welfare state.”