The impact of private hosting on the integration of Ukrainian refugees in Germany

Abstract

Amid the Ukrainian displacement crisis, private hosting of refugees in Europe has surged, yet its impact on integration remains understudied. This research examines the short- to medium-term effects of private hosting on Ukrainian refugee integration in Germany. Using data from one of the largest non-profit platforms that matches private hosts with refugees, we compare the multidimensional integration outcomes of refugees who were matched with private hosts to those of observably similar refugees who applied for private hosting but were not matched (n = 1,700). Our findings show significant improvements in the social, psychological and navigational integration of privately hosted refugees, with no discernible effects on linguistic, economic or political integration. This study provides causal evidence on the effectiveness of private hosting in enhancing refugee integration, underscoring its potential to complement traditional public asylum reception and housing systems, and to harness civil society engagement for refugee integration during humanitarian crises.