Refugees face particularly high housing instability, finds study

Editors' notes

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

proofread

Refugees move nearly four times more often than other migrants, signaling greater instability, according to a new study published in Genus. Gender and country of origin significantly influence this mobility. Although based on an Austrian case study, its findings are globally relevant, especially in light of the rising number of migrants worldwide.

While the integration of refugees into the labor market and health care system is often studied, less is known about the stability of their housing situations.

To address this, CSH researchers have now quantified all registered changes of address for non-Austrian nationals who had their primary residence in Austria at least temporarily between November 2022 and November 2023. This involved 1.6 million people, 17% of whom were refugees, and 83% were migrants, i.e., people who came to Austria voluntarily and are not threatened by persecution in their home country.

"Our findings show that refugees experience significantly greater instability in their housing situation," explains CSH Ph.D. Candidate Ola Ali. On average, they move 3.8 times more frequently within the investigated year than migrants in Austria—even when they come from the same country. While almost 60% of migrants did not change their address, only 33% of refugees remained at the same address.

Housing mobility as indicator

Although changing residences can be linked to improved housing, personal choices, or job changes, longer stays at one address are crucial for building connections to a place and integrating into the local community. Frequent moves within a year can lead to several challenges, including financial strain, difficulty accessing education and health care, and a lack of stable relationships within neighborhoods.

"Up until now, most research has focused on what happens to refugees before they arrive in a new country, rather than how they fare once they are living there," says Ali. "However, with a growing number of people fleeing worldwide, this issue will become increasingly important for all host countries. If we want to understand how well people are doing in a new country, we should also consider the stability of their housing situation, among other factors," she adds.

Gender and country of origin

The study found that male refugees change addresses almost twice as often as female refugees.

"We also see significant differences based on the country of origin. Refugees from Syria change their residence most frequently. Refugees from Syria move the most often, relocating on average 0.55 times per year—2.2 times more often than Ukrainian refugees, 1.7 times more often than Afghan refugees, and almost 5.5 times more often than migrants from Germany," says Ali. While migrants from Syria move half as frequently as Syrian refugees, they still relocate as often as Ukrainian refugees.

Among those labeled as "Churning movers"—individuals who relocate particularly often within the same district, signaling an unstable living situation—nearly 40% were from Syria, followed by Ukraine (17%) and Afghanistan (12%).

Legal status

"Our results suggest that housing instability may be related to the legal status assigned upon entering Austria, which affects various aspects of life," Ali explains. The level of housing stability can vary based on whether someone is an asylum seeker, displaced person, or has a different legal status in the country. For instance, while most Syrian refugees have asylum status (81%), almost all Ukrainian refugees are classified as displaced persons (99%).

Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter—daily or weekly.

Subscribe

Moving toward Vienna

In terms of movement direction within the refugee population, there is significant migration towards Vienna, with 16.2% of movements directed to Vienna compared to 4.7% moving out of Vienna. In contrast, only 4.7% of migrants move to Vienna, compared to 5.8% moving out of the city.

Global picture

"Even though the study is based on an Austrian case study, its findings are global in relevance, especially given the rising number of migrants around the world," says Rafael Prieto-Curiel, head of the Human Migration research group at CSH.

By the end of 2023, the number of people forcibly displaced reached a record high of 117.3 million, according to the UNHCR. This figure has doubled in less than a decade, mainly due to violence and conflict.

And it is likely to continue rising: "Firstly, the world population is growing. By 2050, there will be about 20% more people. Secondly, factors like water shortages, food insecurity, and natural disasters will force more people to migrate—along with increasing political instability and generalized violence," says Rafael Prieto-Curiel, who co-leads the Human Migration research group at CSH together with Ljubica Nedelkoska.

"With the global number of refugees rising, understanding the complexities of refugee populations and their living conditions is essential for helping them settle in a new country," emphasizes Prieto-Curiel. "This is why we want to highlight with this study that there are differences that have so far received little attention and that could have a significant impact," Ali adds.

More information: Ola Ali et al, Quantifying the stability of refugee populations: a case study in Austria, Genus (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s41118-024-00231-2

Provided by Complexity Science Hub Vienna