Assimilation and participation in social assistance among immigrants

Abstract

This article analyses assimilation and social assistance participation among immigrants in Sweden. Probit regressions are used in order to estimate the participation rates in social assistance among different groups of immigrants and native‐born Swedes. The analysis is based upon panel data since the same individuals have been tracked in different years. The results show that among immigrants from the Nordic countries and from Western societies the participation rates are about the same as among comparable native‐born Swedes. Immigrants from South European and non‐European countries are over‐represented in welfare usage. This over‐representation remains even after controlling for differences in observable characteristics such as age, gender, family situation and educational attainment. Non‐European immigrants assimilate out of welfare dependency at a faster rate than European immigrants, but despite this, non‐European immigrants are over‐represented in social assistance utilisation even after 20–25 years of residence in Sweden.