Even worse than the undocumented? Assessing the refugees’ integration in the labour market of Lombardy (Italy) in 2001–2014

The paper aimed to assess possible gaps in labour market integration or refugees compared with other migrants, including irregular migrants in the Italian region of Lombardy in 2001–2014. Despite the Italian labour market's remarkable capacity to integrate foreign workers, our findings support the results of studies carried out in other contexts on a ‘refugee gap’ in labour market integration. Our research shows that refugees have more considerable difficulties integrating into the labour market than other migrants and notably compared with their co‐nationals, including those undocumented that may be in refugee‐like situations. Refugees show higher unemployment levels, irregular employment and a higher incidence of very low monthly work‐related incomes compared with other regular migrants. At the same time, they show higher levels of unemployment compared with irregular migrants.