Initial employment pathways of immigrants in Germany. Why legal contexts of reception matter – an analysis of life-course data

Abstract

This article investigates the impact of legal status on economic integration opportunities after immigrants arrive in Germany. Those coming from European Union (EU) countries experience a legal context of reception quite distinct from those from outside the EU, i.e. third-country nationals. Of these third-country nationals, asylum-seekers are particularly vulnerable as long as their legal status is unresolved. The empirical analysis (National Educational Panel Study) of longitudinal employment patterns studies persons who moved to Germany as adults between 1964 and 2003. Results show that, while EU nationals had the highest likelihood of entering high-status occupations immediately after arrival, a large proportion of refugees persistently faced difficulties in entering the labour force or at most slowly gained access to unskilled jobs. By contrast, politically privileged ethnic German resettlers (Aussiedler), though experiencing initial unemployment similar to refugees, managed to transition into employment fairly fast. Other third-country nationals are situated between resettlers and EU nationals.