Sustainable Earnings among Immigrants, and the Role of Health Status for Self-Sufficiency: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study of Labour Immigrants and Refugees to Sweden 2000–2006

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate economic self-sufficiency for immigrants, and how health status affected self-sufficiency. The proportion of self-sufficiency during years 1–10 after receiving a residence permit is presented for all non-European labour immigrants (n = 1259) and refugees (n = 23,859), aged 18–54, who immigrated to Sweden 2000–2006, and compared to a control group of Swedish-born (n = 144,745). The risk of not being self-sufficient in year 10 was analysed with Cox regression models, and the results are presented as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Moreover, the impact on the self-sufficiency of having a diagnosis from specialised health care during the first five years in Sweden was analysed. The results showed that half of the refugees and three-quarters of the labour immigrants were self-sufficient 10 years after residency. The adjusted risk of not being self-sufficient at year 10 was 80% higher among labour immigrants (HR = 1.8; CI = 1.6–2.0) and more than two-fold among refugees (HR = 2.7; CI = 2.6–2.8) compared to the Swedish-born. Having a diagnosis from specialised health care during the first five years in Sweden had an impact on self-sufficiency in all groups; however, the impact of having a diagnosis did not differ between refugees and Swedish-born. Measures must be taken to increase immigrants’ work participation.