The Effect of Initial Placement Restrictions on Refugees' Language Acquisition in Germany

Felicitas Schikora

No 1035, SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research from DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP)

Abstract: This paper analyzes the effect of a recently introduced policy reform on participation in integration courses and on certified language proficiency levels among refugees in Germany. The residence rule restricts initial residence for refugees with a permanent residence permit. Given that treatment intensity varies distinctly across states, I utilize this quasi-experiment and apply a difference-in-differences approach. Using an innovative data-set, the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees, I find that stricter statutory provisions have a positive effect on the probability to complete a language course and on the level of certified language proficiency. The results indicate that this effect is driven partly by spatial mismatch.

Keywords: Migration; Refugees; Language Acquisition; Placement Restriction; Quasi-Experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J15 J60 K37 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 46 p.
Date: 2019
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur, nep-mig and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp1035

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