The housing integration of refugees and asylum seekers in Germany

In recent years, refugee migrants have become a significant population in many European countries, yet little is known about their housing market integration post-arrival. Our study, using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), examines the residential mobility and homeownership of refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants. Analyzing housing trajectories for refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq, we consider time-varying partnership and employment status, along with their duration of stay. We find that refugees initially exhibit higher mobility rates when compared to other immigrant groups. However, their mobility rates become similar to those of other groups after five years of residence. Refugees are consistently more likely to move into government housing and less likely to transition into homeownership compared to other groups, irrespective of their duration of stay. The results highlight the housing insecurity faced by refugee migrants, providing valuable insights into their unique challenges within the housing market.