Overcoming the Triple Disadvantage: Labour Market Incorporation of Skilled Refugee Women in Germany

Using Essen in Germany as a case study, this thesis explores the perceived effectiveness of active labour market programmes for skilled refugee women. Refugee women face a triple disadvantage in accessing the labour market, with employment rates lower than those of refugee men, migrant women, and native-born women. Skilled refugee women experience high levels of underemployment, often employed either in positions that do not match their qualification level or in involuntary part-time or temporary positions. In research and policy design, however, this group remains somewhat invisible. This thesis examines whether there is a mismatch between the programmes in place and the needs of skilled refugee women. It further seeks an explanation for the mismatch through the application and development of the framework ‘public service failure’. Drawing on in-depth interviews with skilled refugee women and service providers, as well as an analysis of relevant policy documents, the findings show that central barriers experienced by this group relate to language, difficulties with (re-)orientation, and intersectional challenges linked to gender, religion, and motherhood. Language courses are deemed insufficient to fully prepare for employment. Job-search assistance and training that could aid with re-orientation are seldomly addressed at those with high qualifications and ambitions. Lacking availability of childcare and part-time courses presents a further barrier. Regarding explanations for the mismatch, findings indicate that while refugee women are increasingly a target group in active labour market policies, skill-level is often disregarded. Rigidity of official programmes means the individual support necessary cannot be effectively provided. Measures designed to bring people into employment quickly conflict with desires to find adequate employment. Perceived ineffectiveness can have detrimental effects, as a negative experience of friends discourages others from availing of a service. However, findings also revealed the potential of civil society projects that step in to ‘fill the gap’. In order to improve labour market access for skilled refugee women, such projects and initiatives must be supported, and skilled refugee women’s needs and interests must be taken into account in the development of new programmes and policies.