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Porträttfoto

Jonas Helgertz

Vice Dean Research, Associate Professor

Porträttfoto

Naturalization and Earnings: A Denmark-Sweden Comparison

Author

  • Jonas Helgertz
  • Pieter Bevelander
  • Anna Tegunimataka

Summary, in English

The determinants and consequences of the naturalization of immigrants is a hot topic in the political debate in Europe. This article compares the effect of naturalization on the income attainment of immigrants in two Scandinavian countries, Denmark and Sweden, using longitudinal register data from 1986 and onward. Sweden is characterized by low obstacles to naturalization, and existing studies provide inconclusive evidence regarding the impact of naturalization on labor market outcomes. Denmark is instead characterized by higher barriers to naturalization, as well as a virtual inexistence of previous studies on the topic. Results, obtained through individual fixed-effect regression analysis, suggest similar effects in both countries. A consistent naturalization premium is detected for immigrants of Asian and African descent, but not for any other immigrant group. The similarity across contexts arguably questions the use of more stringent naturalization laws to promote the economic integration of immigrants.

Department/s

  • Centre for Economic Demography
  • Department of Economic History

Publishing year

2014

Language

English

Pages

337-359

Publication/Series

European Journal of Population

Volume

30

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Economic History

Keywords

  • Migration
  • Citizenship
  • Earnings
  • Comparative studies
  • Integration
  • Naturalization

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0168-6577