Economic Integration of Refugees in the USA: A Scoping Review Using the Socio-Ecological Model (2007–2023)

Meschelle Linjean, Wooksoo Kim (), Christopher St. Vil, Robert M. Adelman, Marie A. Cannon and Jacqueline Hall
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Meschelle Linjean: State University of New York
Wooksoo Kim: State University of New York
Christopher St. Vil: State University of New York
Robert M. Adelman: State University of New York
Marie A. Cannon: Community Action Organization of Western New York
Jacqueline Hall: Buffalo & Erie County Workforce Investment Board, Inc.

Journal of International Migration and Integration, 2025, vol. 26, issue 1, No 24, 638 pages

Abstract: Abstract US resettlement policy urges refugees to find employment quickly, failing to adequately support them as they adjust to their new country or to fully capture the complex experiences of diverse refugee groups. Within this environment, the racial/ethnic and national origin compositions of arriving refugees have changed significantly since 2005, and the economic environment shifted following the 2007–2009 recession. To understand how various factors interact to hinder or support long-term economic integration of the newer cohorts of refugees in the altered landscape, we reviewed the relevant literature published from 2007 through 2023. Employing a socio-ecological model lens, we found 12 subthemes embedded within four socio-ecological levels that affect refugee economic integration: (1) individual level (length of time in refugee camps; health status; limited language proficiency; education and job skills); (2) cultural level (gender norms; ethnic social networks); (3) organizational level (service providers; employers); and (4) systemic level (resettlement policies; foreign education/credentials non-transferability; location, housing, and transportation; employment and income structures). Refugees encounter individual-level challenges in achieving successful economic integration that are often exacerbated by factors at the cultural, organizational, and systemic levels. We discuss implications and recommend changes at the organizational and systemic levels that can influence challenges across multiple levels and improve refugees’ long-term economic integration.

Keywords: Economic integration; Refugee resettlement; United States; Scoping review; Socio-ecological model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s12134-024-01192-3

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