How long it takes for refugees to get into work? The question has to Statistics Sweden (SCB) is looked at, by following the 30 000 adults of working age who arrived to Sweden as refugees or relatives to refugees, during the years 1997-2001.

The good news is that the third got to work quickly, after a couple of years in the country. The people in this group have an average of had work as a main source of livelihood in ten of the 15 studied years. Almost half of them have studied in Sweden. Most were young when they came here, and many had secondary or post-secondary education. They got a job within the health and social care, sales and cleaners and chauffeurs.

Was the fifth refugee trapped in dependence on benefits

For the rest – two-thirds of the refugees – has the path to a job has been snårigare. About half of these were work, but it took longer time than for the first group, and many alternating periods of job periods with unemployment insurance or income support.

20 per cent of the refugees have lived on grants for a majority of its first 15 years in Sweden. In the category are those who have reduced capacity for work, and therefore live on the sickness benefit or sickness compensation, not included in the calculation.

It shows the difficulties to integrate refugees. Few countries succeed, but Sweden is still good After 9 and 14 years old in the country is refugee employment, a full 20 percentage points higher in Sweden than in the Europagenomsnittet, the economist Joakim Ruist shown.

at the same time the employment gap between native and immigrant large, considerably larger than the average in the OECD. It is a problem, because the Swedish welfare model is based on the entire adult population working. Just look at the Swedish women’s employment rates compared with hemmafrutäta Mediterranean countries.

there Are no miracle cures

Unfortunately, there is no miracle cure for the integration. Low-wage jobs are needed – but the effect would be moderate. Subsidised employment has been around a long time, but employers have not been particularly keen to hire productive labor even when it is free.

neither of the left favoritsvar – training – works as it was intended. To go on adult education, one must pass English, and despite utbildningsplikt, there are few newcomers who are studying. Of those who only have compulsory school education, it is only 6.2 per cent engaged in adult education during the start-up phase.

If more refugees will be able to support themselves have more clear the SFI. To offer language teaching is not sufficient – requirement to learn Swedish must be linked to income support, citizenship and ability to obtain a permanent residence permit.

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