Age at Immigration Matters for Labor Market Integration: The Swedish Example

Torun Osterberg,Bjorn Gustafsson,Hanna Mac Innes

doi:10.2139/ssrn.2889669

Abstract

This paper analyses how age at immigration to Sweden and getting a first foothold in the labor market is related. We estimate hazard rate models using registry data on all persons who arrived in each of the years 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002. The results show that the number of years taken to get a foothold in the Swedish labor market increases rapidly by age among immigrants from middle- and low-income countries aged 40 +. Most individuals who are born in middle- or low-income countries who immigrate after age 50 never get a foothold in the Swedish labor market.

Highlights

This paper investigates the relation between age at immigration to Sweden and the number of years until a migrant has the first job of substantial importance in the destination
Different from Akay (2016), we focus on the importance of age at immigration and analyze the period until first having gained a foothold in the Swedish labor market
The hypothesis under scrutiny is that the number of years until a first job of substantial importance is held is longer for foreign-born immigrants originating from middle- and low-income countries who arrive when middle aged than for their peers who arrive when younger, as well as immigrants of the same age born in high-income countries

Summary

Introduction

This paper investigates the relation between age at immigration to Sweden and the number of years until a migrant has the first job of substantial importance in the destination. Most persons from middle- and low-income countries entering Sweden after age 50 never get a foothold in the Swedish labor market.

Results

Conclusion