Does ad hoc language training improve the economic integration of refugees? Evidence from Germany's response to the Syrian refugee crisis.

Autor/inn/en	Marbach, Moritz; Vallizadeh, Ehsan; Harder, Niklas; Hangartner, Dominik; Hainmueller, Jens
Titel	Does ad hoc language training improve the economic integration of refugees? Evidence from Germany's response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Gefälligkeitsübersetzung: Verbessert kurzfristig finanzierter Sprachunterricht die wirtschaftliche Integration von Flüchtlingen? Evidenz aus Deutschlands Reaktion auf die syrische Flüchtlingskrise.
Quelle	In: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A. Statistics in society, (2025) online first, 08 January 2025, 16 S. PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Link als defekt meldenVerfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1467-985X
DOI	10.1093/jrsssa/qnae106
Schlagwörter	Erfolgskontrolle; Deutsch als Fremdsprache; Sprachförderung; Sprachunterricht; Berufliche Integration; Berufsbiografie; Auswirkung; Flüchtling; Deutschland; Eritrea; Herkunftsland; Irak; Iran; Syrien
Abstract	"Given the global displacement crisis, the integration of refugees has emerged as a critical policy issue for many host countries. A key challenge involves supporting refugees in learning the language of their host country. While several European nations have instituted publicly funded language training for asylum seekers and refugees soon after their arrival, evidence on the efficacy of these early language programs in promoting economic integration remains limited. This study examines the impact of a pioneering, large-scale ad hoc programme introduced by German policymakers, which provided basic language training to over 230,000 refugees arriving in 2015-2016. Utilizing register data on the population of asylum seekers and exploiting a cut-off date in programm eligibility, we assess the program's effectiveness using a regression discontinuity design. Our findings reveal no discernible effect on refugee employment over the subsequent 2 years. To explore whether language programs are generally ineffective during refugee crises, we contrast these results with the impacts of a more comprehensive, preexisting, yet smaller-scale programme. Using a variety of difference-in-differences estimators, we find that this program considerably increased refugee employment. These contrasting findings offer important insights for policymakers on designing effective language training programs for refugees." The study refers to the period 2015-2018 (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku).
Erfasst von	Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Nürnberg
Update	2025/3