How Pre-Arrival Education Shapes Refugee Educational and Financial Mobility in the US

• In Event: International Migration Section Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 11. Immigrants and education

Abstract

Pre and postmigration educational attainment for refugees and asylum seekers has swelled as an area of interest for many scholars, with work typically focusing on barriers to educational attainment and integration in the United States (US). Despite the human capital and prestige that one might have held in their home countries, refugees often find that their qualifications are not recognized once they arrive in the US, effectively placing them at a disadvantage. Yet, educational attainment remains one of the key mechanisms for obtaining economic stability and upward mobility within the US, not specific to refugees. Therefore, we use the 2021 and 2022 Annual Survey of Refugees (ASR) to analyze the relationship between educational attainment before coming to the US and the probability of pursuing an education in the US. Because many refugees arrive with high levels of educational attainment, we also assess how the relationship between educational attainment and pursuing a degree in the US varies by levels of credential recognition, and whether high levels of educational attainment before coming to the US are associated with financial mobility. Our findings show that refugees with a high school education or less than high school that has been fully recognized in the US are more likely to pursue an education than refugees with a similar education that has not been recognized; however, the likelihood of seeking an education for refugees with some university or advanced education (bachelor's degree, master's, PhD, or professional degree) do not differ by whether their education has been recognized in the US. Additionally, country of origin, educational attainment before coming to the US, and gender are stronger predictors of income mobility than English proficiency. These findings highlight the complexity of obstacles refugees face when attaining educational and financial mobility in the US.

Authors

• Paola Andrea Echave, Urban Institute

• Jasmine L. Whiteside, University of Louisville

• Mustafa Rfat, Brown School of Social Work