Refugee Children's Earnings in Adulthood

Abstract

The number of refugees has increased worldwide, and about half of them are children and youth. These refugee children arrive in resettlement countries with a unique set of challenges caused by, for instance, extreme stress and trauma that call for specific policies to address their needs. Yet, the long-term effect of refugee status on newcomer children's economic trajectories varies by country of origin, signaling the need for effective resettlement support and initiatives to tackle broader systemic barriers for newcomer children, beyond refugees. Such findings challenge the commonly held notion of refugees as a distinctive, relatively homogeneous group with similar trajectories.

Despite negative experiences encountered during different phases of migration, refugees have a high degree of resilience, and, with the necessary support, their economic trajectories may be similar to those of other migrant children. These insights challenge misconceived notions that refugees contribute little to the resettlement country's economy. With provisions of assistance in the initial resettlement process of refugees such as psychological counselling and language training and broader policies to remove systemic barriers, refugee children may achieve earning trajectories similar to non-refugee children in the long term.