1999

$6.88

11.9%

80.3%

21.0%

29.1%

1998

7.57

9.2

88.1

12.7

23.4

62.1

1997

8.43

10.6

87.5

11.1

21.3

1996

8.21

13.4

84.8

12.3

20.1

1995

8.52

14.8

84.0

11.7

13.1

73.8

1994

9.04

16.5

82.5

13.8

16.7

68.9

Note: Data refer to refugees 16 and over in the five-year sample population consisting of Amerasians, Entrants, and Refugees of all nationalities who arrived in the years 1994-1999. These figures refer to self-reported characteristics of refugees.

TABLE 7 - Hourly Wages, Home Ownership, and Self-Sufficiency by Year of Arrival

hourly wage had risen to $9.04 per hour (an increase of 24 percent). The overall hourly wage of employed refugees in the five-year population was $8.29 (up from $7.97, $7.38, $7.05, and $6.77 reported in the 1998, 1997, 1996, and 1995 surveys, respectively). From the 1999 survey, the overall hourly wage of employed refugees who spoke English well or fluently at the time of the survey was $8.63 compared to $7.68 for refugees who did not speak English well and $7.90 for refugees who did not speak English at all. Upon closer examination, refugees who spoke English well or fluently at the time of the survey accounted for 71 percent of jobs that paid over $7.50 per hour compared to 24 percent of refugees who did not speak English well and only five percent of refugees who did not speak English at all. Finally, the number of refugees who reported home ownership also appears to rise with length of residence. Whereas less than nine percent of 1998 arrivals reported home ownership, nearly 17 percent of 1994 arrivals reported home ownership.

Table 7 also details the economic self-sufficiency of the five-year sample population from the 1999 survey. Overall, about 66 percent of all refugee households in the United States for five years or less had achieved economic self-sufficiency by October 1999 (up from 60, 55, 49, and 37 percent reported in the 1998, 1997, 1996, and 1995 surveys, respectively). An additional 19 percent had achieved partial independence, with household income a mix of earnings and public assistance (the same as reported in the 1998 and marginally lower than percents reported in the 1997, 1996, and 1995 surveys). For another 13 percent of refugee households, however, income in 1999 consisted entirely of public assistance (dropping six percentage points from the 1998 survey, eight percentage points from the 1997 survey, 11 percentage points from the 1996 survey, and 18 percent from the 1995 survey). Hourly wages, home ownership, and self-sufficiency for the most recent five surveys are contained in Table 8.

Table 9 details several household characteristics by type of income. Households receiving cash assistance average three members and no wage earners, while those with a mix of earnings and assistance income average five members and two wage earners. Households that receive no cash assistance average three members with two wage earners. A child under the age of six as well as a household member under the age of 16 was present in households with a mix of earnings and

1999 Survey

8.29

13.0

84.9

12.8

19.1

1998 Survey

7.97

9.2

88.6

18.8

18.7

1997 Survey

7.38

7.9

89.4

20.7

21.3

55.3

1996 Survey

7.05

6.8

91.7

23.8

22.5

48.5

1995 Survey

6.77

7.8

90.4

30.8

22.0

37.3

assistance more often than either welfare dependent households or households with earnings only.

English language proficiency was lowest in welfare dependent households. Only eight percent of these households contained one or more persons fluent in English. In contrast, about 27 percent of households with a mix of earnings and assistance reported at least one fluent English speaker. Thirty-six percent of households with earnings income only reported at least one fluent English speaker. Again, the relationship between English language proficiency and income is clear

Medical Coverage

Overall, 13 percent of adult refugees surveyed lacked medical coverage of any kind throughout the year preceding the survey (refer to Table 10). This proportion varied widely among the five refugee groups, from a low of about eight percent for the group from the former Soviet Union to a high of 24 percent for Latin America. Refugees from Vietnam were the most likely to have medical coverage through employment (74 percent) whereas the group from Other Southeast Asia was the least likely to have medical coverage through employment (29 percent). These findings are consistent with the associated EPR for each refugee group. Medical coverage through Medicaid or RMA was highest for Other Southeast Asia (59 percent) and lowest for Latin America (11 percent). The proportion of refugees without medical coverage ranged from a low of seven percent for 1994 arrivals to a high of 19 percent for 1998 arrivals. As a general rule, medical coverage through employment increases with time in the U.S., and medical coverage through government aid programs declines with time in the U.S. Overall, 56 percent of the refugees surveyed had medical coverage through employment and 28 percent had medical coverage through Medicaid or RMA. Medical coverage through employment rose from 31 percent for refugees who arrived in 1999 to 65 percent for refugees who arrived in 1994. And, medical coverage through Medicaid or RMA dropped from 49 percent for refugees who arrived in 1999 to 25 percent for refugees who arrived in 1994. After approximately one year of residence, more adult refugees were covered through an employer than through government aid programs.

Between the 1999 and the 1995 surveys, the proportion of refugees without medical coverage (throughout the year preceding the survey) has dropped by 13 percent, medical coverage through Medicaid or RMA has dropped by 37 percent, and medical coverage through employment has increased from 19 to 56 percent (refer to Table 11).

Welfare Utilization

The 1999 survey showed that welfare utilization continues to decline. This decrease corresponds to an increase in refugee employment. As in previous years, welfare utilization varied considerably among refugee groups. Table 12 presents welfare utilization data on the households of the seven refugee groups formed from the survey respondents. Non-cash assistance was generally higher than cash assistance, probably because Medicaid, food stamp, and housing assistance programs, though available to cash assistance households, are also available to households with low-income workers. Twenty-eight percent of refugee households reported receiving food stamps in the previous 12 months versus the 33, 40, 49, and 60 percentage points reported in the 1998, 1997, 1996, and 1995 surveys, respectively. Utilization ranged from a high of 50 percent for the group from the former Soviet Union to a low of 11 percent for Vietnam.

Twenty-eight percent of all refugees reported that their medical coverage was through low-income medical assistance programs (Medicaid or RMA), down eight percent from the 1998 survey and down 10, 14, and 17 percentage points from the 1997, 1996, and 1995 surveys, respectively. In the 1999 survey, eight percent of refugee households reported that they lived in public housing projects versus the 16, 17, 12, and 14 percent reported in the 1998, 1997, 1996, and 1995 surveys, respectively (refer to Table 13).

Tables 12 and 13 also reveal that 32 percent of refugee households surveyed in 1999 had received some kind of cash assistance in at least one of the previous 12 months. This represents a decrease of approximately six percent from the 1998 survey, and a decrease of ten percent, 14 percent, and 23 percent from the 1997, 1996, and 1995 surveys, respectively. Overall, receipt of any type of cash assistance was highest for the former Soviet Union (57 percent) and Other Southeast Asia (49 percent) and lowest for Latin America (15 percent) and Eastern Europe (18 percent). Nine percent of all refugee households had received AFDC/TANF in the last 12 months, approximately three percent less than the number reported in the 1998 survey, a decrease of seven percent from both the 1997 and 1996 surveys, and a decrease of eight percent from the 1995 survey. Utilization ranged from a high of 46 percent for Other Southeast Asia to a low of two percent for Eastern Europe and Vietnam. Only two percent of sampled households received RCA in 1999. This rate is the same as the 1998 and 1995 surveys, and two percentage points lower than the 1997 and 1996 surveys.

Nineteen percent of refugee households had at least one household member who received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the past twelve months. This rate is three percentage points lower than the 1998 survey, two percentage points lower than both the 1997 and 1996 surveys, and three percentage points lower than the 1995 survey. Utilization varied largely according to the number of refugees over age 65. Refugees from the former Soviet Union were found to utilize SSI most often. With about 15 percent of their five-year population aged 65 or over, 38 percent of their households received SSI. By contrast, only seven percent of refugees from Latin America were aged 65 or over and five percent or less of all remaining refugee groups were 65 or over. The median age for the seven refugee groups ranged from a low of 29 years for Africa and Other Southeast Asia to 40 years for the former Soviet Union. General Assistance (also called General Relief or Home Relief in some States) is a form of cash assistance funded entirely with State or local funds. It generally provides assistance to single persons, childless couples, and families with children that are not eligible for AFDC/TANF. The 1999 survey reported that about six percent of refugee households received some form of GA during the past twelve months compared to eight, nine, 15, and 23 percent reported in the 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995 surveys, respectively. Refugees from the former Soviet Union showed the highest utilization rate (17 percent) followed by Africa (nine percent) and the Middle East (eight percent). Refugees from the former Soviet Union initially resettled in New

York are a case in point (discussed in more detail below). Latin America and Other Southeast Asia showed the lowest utilization rate (zero percent). The lack of utilization by refugees from Latin America may be related to their concentration in Florida, which has no State-funded General Assistance program (also, discussed in more detail below).

The relationship between employment and receipt of welfare varied across refugee groups. Refugees from Latin America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Vietnam showed the lowest welfare utilization and the highest EPR. Refugees from Other Southeast Asia and the former Soviet Union showed the highest welfare utilization and the lowest EPR. Refugees from Africa showed moderate-to-high welfare utilization rates and a moderate-to-high EPR.

TABLE 10 - Source of Medical Coverage for Selected Refugee Groups and for Year of Arrival

No Medical Coverage in any of past 12 months

12.4%

23.8%

12.6%

12.2%

8.4%

10.2%

12.4%

12.6%

Medical Coverage through employer

50.8

63.4

64.7

64.0

33.0

74.3

29.0

56.3

Medicaid or RMA

33.8

10.5

20.6

18.4

53.6

13.9

58.5

27.7

No Medical Coverage in any of past 12 months

16.8%

18.9%

11.8%

14.3%

10.9%

7.2%

12.6%

Medical Coverage through Employer

31.0

40.8

55.8

55.8

65.6

65.3

56.3

Medicaid or RMA

49.1

36.4

28.2

25.1

21.5

24.9

27.7

Any Type of Cash Assistance

44.6%

15.3%

21.9%

17.5%

57.1%

22.1%

48.6%

31.9%

AFDC/TANF

32.4

4.7

8.7

1.6

12.9

2.0

8.9

RCA

1.0

0.0

5.2

1.5

3.5

0.0

2.3

SSI

9.5

6.3

10.9

37.6

16.3

2.3

18.8

General Assistance

8.5

0.0

8.0

2.3

16.9

1.2

0.0

6.4

Non-cash Assistance

Medicaid or RMA

33.8

10.5

20.6

18.4

53.6

13.9

58.5

27.7

Food Stamps

40.3

14.7

18.2

15.3

50.3

10.7

46.2

26.7

Public Housing

23.0

1.8

5.4

4.6

12.8

4.9

39.0

8.4

The 1999 survey also reported welfare utilization and employment rate by State of residence. Table 14 shows the EPR and utilization rates for various types of welfare for twelve States, as well as the nation as a whole. Unlike Table 12, which computes welfare utilization rates for entire households, Table 14 presents data on utilization by individual refugees (including children).

The EPR was generally high where welfare utilization is low and vice-a-versa. Specifically, among the States with the highest EPR were Florida (79 percent), Georgia (71 percent), and Texas (70 percent), welfare utilization was below ten percent. However, Illinois and Michigan also had high EPRs, and relatively low welfare utilization. Massachusetts and Missouri had a high EPR with moderately high welfare utilization. Pennsylvania had a moderately high EPR accompanied by moderately high welfare utilization. California, Minnesota, New York, and Washington all had low EPRs and high welfare utilization.

Minnesota, followed by California and Washington, showed the highest proportion of AFDC/TANF utilization (39, 24, and 23 percent, respectively). Minnesota, followed by Massachusetts and Michigan, showed the highest proportion of RCA utilization (four, four, and three percent, respectively). New York, followed by Massachusetts and California, showed the highest proportion of SSI utilization (15, 10, and nine percent, respectively). New York, followed by Pennsylvania and Washington, showed the highest GA utilization (12, nine, and seven percent, respectively).

It is interesting to note the change in rate of welfare utilization that results from substituting individuals for households as the unit of analysis (the difference between the utilization rates reported in Table 12 and Table 14). Although the utilization rates for AFDC/TANF, RCA, and GA were close, the utilization rate for individuals receiving SSI was eight percent versus 19 percent for households. Finally, the overall welfare utilization rate for refugee individuals (25 percent)

TABLE 13 - Public Assistance Utilization of Selected Refugee Groups by Survey Year Administration

1999 Survey

44.6%

15.3%

21.9%

17.5%

57.1%

22.1%

48.6%

31.9%

1998 Survey

37.9%

11.8%

24.2%

16.3%

59.9%

38.3%

59.6%

37.5%

1997 Survey

53.9%

13.4%

31.4%

11.9%

62.3%

40.9%

66.1%

42.1%

1996 Survey

40.5

14.0

40.8

56.7

63.2

39.9

70.9

46.2

1995 Survey

40.8

16.0

62.6

37.8

67.0

53.3

85.4

55.1

Medicaid or RMA

1999 Survey

33.8

10.5

20.6

18.4

53.6

13.9

58.5

27.7

1998 Survey

38.3

17.5

34.0

18.8

54.3

28.2

71.6

35.6

1997 Survey

49.7

22.4

45.0

16.6

53.8

27.1

81.0

37.8

1996 Survey

54.7

34.9

42.7

44.2

58.2

24.4

83.8

41.2

1995 Survey

49.7

20.7

61.6

66.5

58.8

35.5

48.1

44.2

Food Stamps

1999 Survey

40.3

14.7

18.2

15.3

50.3

10.7

46.2

27.7

1998 Survey

43.5

10.9

21.5

14.3

52.3

27.2

72.9

32.7

1997 Survey

56.9

10.5

47.4

17.2

55.5

36.2

72.8

39.7

1996 Survey

67.0

29.3

51.4

57.2

59.8

38.6

68.5

48.5

1995 Survey

51.0

39.7

55.9

66.0

65.4

59.3

81.6

60.3

Public Housing

1999 Survey

23.0

1.8

5.4

4.6

12.8

4.9

39.0

1998 Survey

18.9

0.7

7.6

0.5

13.6

37.7

26.7

16.2

1997 Survey

15.9

1.5

4.8

13.8

16.9

29.0

26.0

16.9

1996 Survey

41.8

4.3

5.0

1.6

18.3

4.5

26.8

11.6

1995 Survey

16.3

14.7

24.2

8.3

11.4

12.8

28.4

13.9

California

(1,123)

54.8

24.3

1.6

8.8

5.7

40.4

Florida

( 988)

78.8

2.5

0.3

5.5

0.6

8.9

New York

( 698)

51.3

5.2

1.9

15.3

12.2

34.5

Washington

( 514)

58.6

23.1

1.6

7.0

7.2

38.9

Illinois

( 319)

73.8

1.2

0.0

7.8

3.8

13.5

Texas

( 308)

70.2

3.2

0.3

5.8

0.3

9.7

Minnesota

( 268)

54.3

38.8

4.1

6.0

4.9

53.7

Michigan

( 253)

72.6

9.1

2.8

5.1

0.0

17.0

Georgia

( 237)

71.1

4.2

0.0

4.2

0.4

8.9

Massachusetts

( 175)

69.8

12.0

4.0

9.7

1.1

26.9

Pennsylvania

(142)

60.5

12.0

0.0

7.0

8.5

27.5

Missouri

( 130)

69.8

14.6

0.0

6.2

0.8

21.5

Other States

(1,643)

72.1

7.2

3.0

6.2

3.4

19.9

^*The State arrival figures are weighted totals.

^**The column totals represent individuals who received any combination of AFDC/TANF, RCA, SSI and/or GA, e.g., if an individual received AFDC/TANF, RCA, SSI, and GA, he/she is counted four times.

Note: As of October 1999. Not seasonally adjusted. Welfare utilization refers to receipt of public assistance in at least one of the past twelve months. The listed utilization rate for each type of public assistance is the ratio of the number of individuals (including minor children) receiving such aid to the total number of individuals in the five-year sample population residing in that State. Because some refugees have difficulty distinguishing between GA and AFDC/TANF, some GA utilization may reflect AFDC/TANF utilization. For data on welfare utilization by household, see Table 9.

was seven percent lower than the total welfare utilization rate for refugee households. As a general rule, measuring welfare utilization by household tends to inflate the utilization rate somewhat because households are counted as dependent on welfare even if only one member of a large family received any type of assistance.

Overall, findings from ORR's 1999 survey indicate (as in previous years) that refugees face significant problems upon arrival in the United States. But, over time, refugees find jobs and move toward economic self-sufficiency in their new country. The 1999 survey demonstrates that the employment rate of refugees has made significant strides, i.e., surpassing that of the U.S. population. Data also show that the continued progress of many refugee households toward self-sufficiency is tied to education and English proficiency.

Technical Note: The ORR Annual Survey, with interviews conducted by Arrington Dixon and Associates in the fall of 1999, is the 28th in a series conducted since 1975. Until 1993, the survey was limited to Southeast Asian refugees. A random sample was selected from the ORR Refugee Data File. ORR's contractor contacted the family by a letter in English and a second letter in the refugee's native language. If the person sampled was a child, an adult living in the same household was interviewed. Interviews were conducted by telephone in the refugee's native language. The questionnaire and interview procedures were essentially the same between the 1981 survey and the 1992 survey, except that beginning in 1985 the sample was expanded to a five-year population consisting of refugees from Southeast Asia who had arrived over the most recent five years.

In 1993, the survey was expanded beyond the Southeast Asian refugee population to include refugee, Amerasian, and entrant arrivals from all regions of the world. Each year a random sample of new arrivals is identified and interviewed. In addition, refugees who had been included in the previous year's survey--but had not resided in the United States for more than five years--are again contacted and interviewed for the new survey. Thus, the survey continuously tracks the progress of a randomly selected sample of refugees over their initial five years in this country. This permits comparison of refugees arriving in different years, as well as the relative influence of experiential and environmental factors on refugee progress toward self-sufficiency across five years.

For the 1999 survey, 1,557 households were contacted and interviewed. Refugees included in the 1998 survey who had not yet resided in the U.S. for five years were again contacted and interviewed along with a new sample of refugees, Amerasians, and entrants who had arrived between May 1, 1998 and April 30, 1999. Of the 1,587 re-interview cases from the 1998 sample, 1,310 were contacted and interviewed, and six were contacted, but refused to be interviewed. The remaining 271 re-interview cases could not be traced in time to be interviewed. Of the 387 new interview cases, 247 were contacted and interviewed, one was contacted, but refused to cooperate, and the remaining 139 could not be traced in time to be interviewed. The resulting responses were then weighted according to year of entry and ethnic category.

In addition, of the 271 re-interview cases which could not be traced in time to be interviewed, two died, two moved back to their native countries, five people had unpublished phone numbers. Of the 139 new interview cases, which could not be traced in time to be interviewed, one died, one did not arrive, and one was seriously ill and unable to give an interview.