Job search—with obstacles

Five years after arriving in Germany, 28 percent of female refugees and 60 percent of male refugees were employed.

One key reason for this gap is that in many cases, refugee women worked in sectors such as education and health in their counties of origin. Qualifications earned in these sectors are often not recognized in Germany.

Another factor are qualifications gained in Germany. Refugee women attend language and integration courses and employment counseling at a later point in time than refugee men. These courses and services play an important role in finding a job in Germany.

The task of caring for children and being gainfully employed poses an additional challenge for refugee women who arrived in Germany in recent years.

The researchers at IAB and BIM emphasize that tailoring policy measures to the specific needs of refugee women could help to promote their integration into the German labor market. The expansion of childcare services, for instance, could benefit them and non-refugee women as well.

Further information

MIGAZIN: Refugee women must overcome many obstacles for labor market integration

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