Economic Integration of Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Four Countries: A Comparative Analysis

Karin Amit, Ruppin Academic Center
Olena Bagno, Tel Aviv University
William Bridges, University of Illinois at Chicago
Don Devoretz, Simon Fraser University
Yitchak Haberfeld, Tel Aviv University
Irena Kogan, University of Bamberg
John R. Logan, Brown University
Rebeca Raijman, University of Haifa
Moshe Seyonov, Tel Aviv University

The major objective of the present study is to compare the economic integration of immigrants from one source country (the Former Soviet Union) in four destination countries: United States, Canada, Germany, and Israel. Economic integration is examined on the following dimensions: participation in the economically active labor force, unemployment, under-employment, occupational attainment, self-employment and entrepreneurship, and earnings. Our target population is post-1989 immigrants from FSU with an academic degree acquired in their country of origin (compared to non-academics), and that were at the age 25 - 40 upon arrival. The data used in each of the four countries are official censuses. Despite basic similarities in incorporation of immigrants, the analysis reveals meaningful differences across societies that can be attributed both to selectivity processes and the economic system and social policies regarding the absorption of immigrants in each of the countries.