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Abstract:
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This study examines the effects of Eastern European refugees' homeland education on their earnings in the U.S. workplace. The findings support the hypothesis that refugees' homeland education is positively correlated with both the possibility of employment and increased earnings, measured in hourly wages as well as annual earnings. Under the 1980 Refugee Act the U. S. government formally spelled out its commitment to protect refugees and to offer them humanitarian assistance that entailed not only providing material support for UNHCR operations but also accepting refugees for resettlement within the United States. Refugees are often seen as burdens on the national treasury, and within the arena of state politics assistance programs for resettled refugees have drawn fire. Refugees' economic performance in their host country, like that of other immigrants, is determined by the sum total of their human capital. For policy makers, the challenge is to enhance educated refugees' transferable skills so that they translate into higher earnings, even while encouraging refugees with minimal education to invest in education after their arrival in the United States. Considering the impact of child rearing and other factors that might prevent refugees from acquiring education after arrival, it is crucial to support these entrants into the U.S. labor force with effective programs that facilitate their efforts to increase their human capital. |