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“Welcome to France.” Can mandatory integration contracts foster immigrant integration?

Author

Listed:
  • Mathilde Emeriau

    (Sciences Po - Sciences Po, Stanford University, ETH Zurich)

  • Jens Hainmueller

    (Stanford University, ETH Zurich)

  • Dominik Hangartner

    (Stanford University, ETH Zurich)

  • David D. Laitin

    (Stanford University, ETH Zurich)

Abstract

European governments, struggling with incorporating diverse immigrant populations, introduced integration contracts. Through language training and compulsory civics courses, these contracts aim to induce new migrants to adopt the host society's culture, respect its values, and improve their labor market outcomes. Despite their popularity, little empirical evidence exists on whether integration contracts catalyze integration or trigger a backlash. To shed light on this question, we leverage the staggered introduction of France's integration contract across metropolitan departments between 2003 and 2006 to implement a regression discontinuity design. We use census data, labor force surveys, and our own survey of refugees to estimate the effect of the contract on integration outcomes. We find the integration contract facilitated employment in the short term without backlash but did not translate into long-lasting integration gains.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathilde Emeriau & Jens Hainmueller & Dominik Hangartner & David D. Laitin, 2025. "“Welcome to France.” Can mandatory integration contracts foster immigrant integration?," SciencePo Working papers Main halshs-04954339, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:spmain:halshs-04954339
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