Fast-Tracked Jobs Help Asylum Seekers Integrate Faster

Giovanni Abbiati, Erich Battistin, Paola Monti and Paolo Pinotti

No 20150, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We evaluate a labor market integration program that fast-tracked asylum seekers into the Italian labor market through personalized job mentoring, placement assistance, and on-the-job training. Leveraging randomized assignment across reception centers and individual-level administrative records, we find effects on employment rates of 10 percentage points, or 30% over the baseline, over a 18-month period. The program also improved job quality through increased access to fixed-term and open-ended contracts. Subsidized internships were a critical pathway to transitioning participants into standard employment. Survey data indicate that these effects reflect a net increase in employment, rather than a shift from informal to formal jobs. We also document broader benefits on socioeconomic integration, including language proficiency and social networks with native Italians.

JEL-codes: C93 D04 F22 I38 J15 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-04
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