Refugee Women, Family Status and Finding a First Job in the Netherlands

Abstract This study examines the role played by family status in the early labour market participation of refugee women in the Netherlands. Securing a first paid job is crucial for achieving financial independence, building human and social capital and enhancing future employment opportunities. Using Dutch register data and event history analysis, we investigate the transition to paid employment among refugee women. These data enable us to study the entire refugee population that was granted a residence permit in the Netherlands between 2014 and 2018. It contributes to the literature by examining both static family characteristics and dynamic transitions in family status. It presents a more nuanced understanding of how refugee women’s family lives evolve after arrival and how these changes interact with employment trajectories. The results show a gradual increase in divorce rates among married women, a rise in marriages among single women and a substantial increase in the number of women who become mothers. Our multivariate analyses confirm that, for refugee women, the presence of young children on arrival and becoming a mother are important factors in the likelihood of finding employment. Marital status is also related to employment: women who were initially single are more likely to find employment than those who were initially divorced or married. Within the group of single women, those who marry during the study period are less likely to find employment compared to those who remain single. These findings highlight the complex interplay between family dynamics and labour market participation for refugee women.