Employment and work intentions of refugee women: Evidence on Syrians in the Netherlands

Abstract

This study examines the employment and work intentions of Syrian refugee women in the Netherlands. While earlier studies showed that refugee women have dramatically low labor force participation rates, it remains poorly understood why this is the case. In this study, we provide new insights, using large-scale, nationally representative data on Syrian refugee women in the Netherlands. Our analyses provide evidence to suggest that beyond human capital characteristics, three gender-specific factors contribute to lower participation rates: discrimination of Muslim women who wear a veil, family constraints and traditional gender role attitudes. Among Syrian unemployed women, we find that wearing a veil or having young children is associated with an inability to work, whereas traditional gender role attitudes are significantly associated with unwillingness to work.