Immigrant education: the intergenerational impacts of parental overeducation

Siddartha Aradhya, Lund University
Jonas Helgertz, Lund University
Anton Nilsson, Lund University
Kirk A. Scott, Lund University

In Sweden, throughout the post- World War II period, the labor market outcomes of immigrants have been steadily deteriorating. Although this trend has been accompanied by dramatic compositional changes of the immigrant population, the struggle to obtain employment on par with natives seems to be an ever-growing phenomenon. One labor market obstacle, in particular, that overwhelmingly impacts immigrants is that of overeducation—being employed in an occupation for which one is overqualified based on his or her level of education (Joona, Gupta and Wadensjö 2014, Katz and Österberg 2013). As posited by several studies, the disadvantages developed amongst first generation have been seen to persist in subsequent generations (Hammarstedt 2009, Hammarstedt and Palme 2012, Rooth and Ekberg 2003). We intend to contribute to the existing literature on overeducation and intergenerational transfers by understanding the role mismatch plays in perpetuating disadvantages amongst second generation immigrants, specifically focusing on their educational success.