Improving refugee integration through data-driven algorithmic assignment

Developed democracies are settling an increased number of refugees, many of whom face challenges integrating into host societies. We developed a flexible data-driven algorithm that assigns refugees across resettlement locations to improve integration outcomes. The algorithm uses a combination of sup...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2018-01, Vol.359 (6373), p.325-329
Main Authors: Bansak, Kirk, Ferwerda, Jeremy, Hainmueller, Jens, Dillon, Andrea, Hangartner, Dominik, Lawrence, Duncan, Weinstein, Jeremy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algorithms
Artificial Intelligence
Community Integration
Emigration and Immigration
Employment
Historic buildings & sites
Humans
Integration
Land Settlement
Learning algorithms
Machine learning
Mathematics
Optimization
Refugees
Resettlement
Switzerland
United States
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Summary:Developed democracies are settling an increased number of refugees, many of whom face challenges integrating into host societies. We developed a flexible data-driven algorithm that assigns refugees across resettlement locations to improve integration outcomes. The algorithm uses a combination of supervised machine learning and optimal matching to discover and leverage synergies between refugee characteristics and resettlement sites. The algorithm was tested on historical registry data from two countries with different assignment regimes and refugee populations, the United States and Switzerland. Our approach led to gains of roughly 40 to 70%, on average, in refugees' employment outcomes relative to current assignment practices. This approach can provide governments with a practical and cost-efficient policy tool that can be immediately implemented within existing institutional structures.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aao4408