Aims to examine the effect of government intervention programs in improving the occupational opportunities of new immigrants as self‐employed entrepreneurs or salaried employees, and to determine the effect, if any, of gender and ethnicity.
To examine the effects of two major types of government programs – retraining courses and support for business creation – a sample of 1,195 immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Israel were interviewed in depth on two different occasions.
The findings indicate that the impact of both government programs was more pronounced for women immigrants and immigrants from the Asian republics.
The study focuses only on two government programs in one country – Israel.
In terms of immigrant incorporation into a society, government programs matter and matter more for disadvantaged groups. Participation in these programs helps diminish any gaps created by market forces.
This study adds to the immigration literature on state intervention by assessing the contribution of government programs and intervention to immigrants’ occupational incorporation.
