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Hiring Refugees as Apprentices: The Role of Skills, Signals, and Policy Interventions

Author

Listed:
  • Christina Felfe

  • Lukas Kagerbauer

  • Max Müller

  • Christoph Sajons

  • Judith Saurer

  • Thomas Zwick

Abstract

Do refugees face systematic disadvantages in the apprenticeship market and what measures can mitigate them? We address these questions using a combination of discrete choice experiments and information treatments involving 800 firms in Ger many. Our findings show that refugees are much less likely to be accepted for ap prenticeships than their native counterparts, unless they are substantially better qualified in terms of formal education. However, this gap can be significantly re duced through two key mechanisms: signaling soft skills such as discipline, moti vation, and reliability, and implementing public policy programs that enhance job specific language proficiency and job readiness.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Felfe & Lukas Kagerbauer & Max Müller & Christoph Sajons & Judith Saurer & Thomas Zwick, 2026. "Hiring Refugees as Apprentices: The Role of Skills, Signals, and Policy Interventions," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2025_778, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2025_778
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    File URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp778
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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