Migration debate in Germany: Ifo Institute is at work

To combat unemployment

Ifo advises: Send asylum seekers to counties with many vacancies

The IFO Institute brings its own proposal into the migration debate. The researchers want to contribute to solving an economic problem.

According to the IFO Institute, the number of open jobs should play a larger role in the distribution of asylum seekers to the counties than the population. This would make long -term integration easier, the Munich researchers said on Friday. “The initial accommodation of asylum seekers is crucial for successful integration. If the unemployment rate in the district of the initial accommodation is one percentage point, this leads to a five percentage point that is less likely that asylum seekers will take on an employment in the medium term,” said ifo migration expert Panu Poutvaara.

The previous distribution in Germany is based on the “Königstein key”. Two thirds of the people are distributed according to the tax income of the federal states and a third according to the population. The countries themselves usually distribute proportionally to the existing population into the counties.

“After their arrival in Germany, the decision about the location of asylum seekers is like a lottery process that is potentially harmful to integration success. A failed integration leads to high follow -up costs,” said Poutvaara.

Another factor is the willingness to integrate the population: According to IFO, an increase in the right -wing extremist voter share is accompanied by one percentage point with a three percentage point less likely that asylum seekers will then find a job or do an apprenticeship. “These effects also remain taking into account local unemployment rates.”