The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether intensive counseling and coaching by Public Employment Service (PES) caseworkers improves the employment opportunities of new immigrants in Sweden. This is tested within the framework of introduction programs for new immigrants. A trial introduction program was implemented from October 2006 to June 2008. Within participating municipalities, new immigrants were randomly assigned into treatment (intensive coaching) or control (regular introduction programs). The results indicate that there are significant treatment effects on employment probabilities as well as on participation in intermediate PES training programs.

Vi har jämfört övergången från arbetslöshet till osubventionerat och subventionerat arbete, utbildning och arbetsmarknadsutbildning för en grupp nyanlända invandrare som slumpmässigt valts ut för att delta i en försöksverksamhet. Försöket, som syftar till att förkorta tiden fram till inträde på arbetsmarknaden, bedrevs vid arbetsförmedlingar i Stockholms, Kronobergs och Skåne län. Gruppen jämfördes med en slumpmässigt utvald kontrollgrupp bestående av nyanlända som skrivits in vid samma arbetsförmedling under samma tidsperiod. Vi finner att sannolikheten att övergå till osubventionerat arbete, senast 15 månader efter inskrivning, i genomsnitt är omkring 4 procentenheter högre för deltagare i försöket.

We examine differences in the intensity of employer stereotypes against men and women with Arabic names in Sweden by testing how much more work experience is needed to eliminate the disadvantage of having an Arabic name on job applications. Employers are first sent CVs of equal merits in a field-experiment setup. Arabic-named CVs are thereafter enhanced with more relevant work experience than Swedish-named CVs. Results indicate a reverse gender gap in employer stereotypes as initial differences in call-backs disappear for female applicants when CVs for Arabic-named applications are enhanced, but remain strong and significant for male applicants. Thus, contrary to what is often assumed about the interaction of gender and ethnicity, we find that Arabic men face stronger discrimination in the labor market than Arabic women.

We examine differences in the intensity of employer stereotypes of men and women with Arabic names in Sweden by testing how much work experience is needed to eliminate the disadvantage of having an Arabic name on job applications. Employers are first sent curriculum vitaes (CVs) of equal merit in a field experiment setup. Arabic-named CVs are thereafter enhanced with more relevant work experience than Swedish-named CVs. The results indicate a reverse gender gap in employer stereotypes because initial differences in the number of call-backs disappear for female applicants when Arabic-named CVs are enhanced but remain strong and significant for male applicants. Thus, contrary to what is often assumed about the interaction of gender and ethnicity, we find that Arabic men face stronger discrimination in the labor market than Arabic women.

This paper analyzes the determinants of assortative mating by ethnicity and education for individuals with an immigrant background in Sweden, focusing on the role of individual, marriage market and parental characteristics. Results indicate that higher levels of host country specific human capital decrease the likelihood of ethnic endogamy and increase the likelihood of educational homogamy. Opportunity as measured by sex ratios and relative group size is found to be positively correlated to both types of assortative mating. Parental assortative mating (ethnic/educational), as a measure of group identity, is found to increase the likelihood of assortative mating. A comparison of marginal effects, by gender, suggests that the social boundaries defined by ethnicity and education in the marriage market are relatively more easily crossed by men with the accumulation of local and general human capital. Likewise, the influence of group identity appears to matter more for women when marriages are based on ethnicity but matter more for men when marriages are based on education. Key words: assortative mating, immigrant background, ethnicity, educational level, marriage market, parental characteristics, sex ratio, group size, gender

For immigrants, intermarriage with natives is assumed to have an assimilating role due to the

enhancement of local human capital such a union creates in the form of improved knowledge

about host country institutions, language and customs as well as access to native spouses’

networks and contacts. However, marriage choice is endogenous, unobserved factors

influence who we marry and our labor market outcomes. This study uses panel data on

immigrants and their spouses in Sweden to estimate marriage premiums taking into account

individual heterogeneity. This is done for three types of marriages; intermarriage to natives

and intra-marriage with immigrants from home countries or other (non-Swedish) countries. A

staggered fixed effects model is estimated separately for each marriage type to further

disentangle a causal effect of intermarriage (intra-marriage) on annual income from any

remaining positive selection effects into respective marriage type. Results from fixed effects

estimation indicate that all types of marriage (with one exception) yield positive marriage

premiums of similar magnitude. Significant pre-marriage income growth and a lack of postmarriage

income growth for those that marry natives suggest that intermarriage premiums are

largely due to selection.



In this paper, we revisit the question raised in Dahlberg et al. (2012, Journal of Political Economy 120, 41-76) concerning a causal relationship between ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution. We find that their results are based on (i) an unreliable and potentially invalid measure of preferences for redistribution, (ii) an endogenously selected sample, and (iii) a mismeasurement of the refugee placement program. Correcting for any of these three problems reveals that there is no evidence of any relationship between ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution. We also discuss what is currently known about the refugee placement program, and to what extent it can be used for estimating causal effects more generally.

This paper explores the employment implications for second and middle generation immigrants in Sweden of identification to the ethnic group and to the majority culture, so-called acculturation identity. Results indicate no significant differences in employment probabilities between those that identify only with majority (assimilated) and those that identify with both the majority culture and the ethnic group (integrated). What appears to matter for employment outcomes is an attachment to the majority culture while a strong attachment to the ethnic group is not per se detrimental for employment outcomes.

A unique examination strategy in first-year microeconomics courses is used to test for gender differences in examination behavior. Students have the possibility of attaining a seminar bonus on the final exam for near-perfect seminar attendance and are given two voluntary initial quizzes during the semester. At the final exam, the scores received on initial quizzes can either be accepted as is, or students can attempt to improve their marks by answering similar quiz questions on the exam. Results suggest that female students are more likely to take initial quizzes and receive a seminar bonus but are less likely to re-take quiz questions on the final exam. These results suggest higher risk aversion, less overconfidence, and more self-discipline or less procrastination among female students relative to male students. Our estimated behavioral differences may have important implications in terms of final grades on the course. (JEL I21, J16, A12, A14)