The impact of non-cognitive characteristics on migrant integration

Abstract

Migrant integration is crucial for ageing European economies to reap the rewards of immigration. Using innovative individual-level integration measures based on survey data collected in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, we test the hypotheses that impatience, risk aversion and grit influence the integration of immigrants across three main dimensions: labour market, social inclusion, and active citizenship. We find that risk aversion positively impacts social integration, and active citizenship is positively impacted by higher impatience levels. Despite Portugal having some of the best immigrant integration policies, our evidence shows that informal barriers to full migrant integration remain. Individual non-cognitive characteristics of migrants can help to overcome these barriers.