The Long-term Economic Outcomes of Refugee Private Sponsorship

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Abstract

An important policy initiative implemented for the past 40 years in Canada, refugee private sponsorship has attracted international attention as Europe continues to grapple with an influx of refugees. However, no research has systematically evaluated the long-term economic outcomes of private sponsorship and whether such outcomes vary by refugees’ human capital. This study compared the economic outcomes of privately sponsored refugees (PSRs) and government-assisted refugees (GARs) using the Longitudinal Immigration Database, an administrative database that contains information on virtually all immigrants and refugees who have arrived in Canada since 1980. The results show that PSRs had higher employment rates and earnings than GARs, particularly during the initial settlement period, even after taking into account differences in education, official language ability, and other observed socio-demographic characteristics, although the differences diminished over time. The PSR advantage was particularly noticeable among less-educated refugees.

Citation

Relevant Evidence Summaries

The evidence was reviewed and included in the following summaries: 

What strategies improve the outcomes of refugee women in employment programs?

This evidence summary, authored by Switchboard, summarizes the state of available evidence regarding strategies to improve the employment rates of refugee women in employment programs. Limited but growing evidence shows positive impacts of national policies on the employment rates of refugees. Canada’s Educational Credential Assessment requirement for economic migrants and private sponsorship programs has shown […]

About this study

AGE: Adults

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: Positive impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Free

GENDER: All

HOST COUNTRY: Canada

HOST COUNTRY INCOME: High

INTERVENTION DURATION: 1 year

INTERVENTION: Policy level

OUTCOME AREA: Employment>Employment Outcomes

POPULATION: Refugees

REGION OF ORIGIN OF PARTICIPANT(S): Multiple Regions

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: Suggestive

TYPE OF STUDY: Suggestive evidence

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2020

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