Low-skilled jobs, language proficiency, and job opportunities for refugees: an experimental study

In a field experiment, we study the causal effects of previous experience and language skills when newly arrived Syrian refugees in Sweden apply for low-skilled jobs. We find no evidence of sizable effects from previous experience or completed language classes on the probability of receiving a callback from employers. However, female applicants were more likely than males to receive a positive response. As a complement to the experiment, we interview a select number of employers, which provides additional insights into how they judge candidates for low-skilled jobs.