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The ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin Institute for the Economy and the Future of Work (RFBerlin) engages in research designed to raise the standard of public debate and create the best possible basis for policy making.

Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity
Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity
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Migration & Global Collaboration
Migration & Global Collaboration
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CReAM @ RFBerlin
Technology, Trade & Human Capital
Technology, Trade & Human Capital
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Discussion papers

No. 234/26 - September 2026

Socioeconomic Inequality in Longevity: A Multidimensional Approach

Claus Thustrup Kreiner, Paul Bingley, Benjamin Ly Serena

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No. 233/26 - September 2026

Neonatal Health and Long-Term Outcomes: Twin-Based Evidence From Linked Scandinavian Registers

Gabriella Conti, Evelina Björkegren, Aline Bütikofer, Mårten Palme, Kjell G. Salvanes

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No. 232/26 - September 2026

Opportunities or Benefits: Local Conditions and Refugee Labor Market Integration

Katia Gallegos Torres, Andreas Steinmayr, Valentin Wett

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No. 231/26 - September 2026

The STEM Next Door: Early Exposure to Science-Trained Neighbors and Long-Run Outcomes

Petter Lundborg, Adrian Nieto

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Research Insights

Concise, research-based articles for scholars,
policymakers, and anyone curious about the world.

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No. 33/26 - September 2026

Life-cycle effects of public childcare: Evidence on children and their parents

How does access to public childcare shape the career trajectories of parents? And, what is the active ingredient behind the long-term impacts of childcare programs on children’s labor market outcomes?

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No. 32/26 - August 2026

When Classmates Matter: How Competitive Peers Steer Students Toward Better-Paid Jobs

Most adolescents in Switzerland face one of the most consequential decisions of their educational pathway at the early age of 14: choosing an apprenticeship from around 200 options, from baker to information technologist. In our new study, we show that non-cognitive skills of their classmates play an important role in this choice.

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No. 31/26 - August 2026

Why Firms Hesitate to Hire Occupation Switchers

When workers change occupations, what makes firms willing to hire them? Most research on occupational mobility looks at it from the perspective of workers: who switches occupations and why. Less is known about how firms evaluate candidates from other occupations.

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CReAM Reports

Data-driven reports on migration and related economic and social trends, highlighting the latest developments across Europe and beyond.

All CReAM Reports

No. 6/26 - July 2026

Employment of Immigrants in the European Union: Progress, Persistent Gaps, and Untapped Potential

Employment among immigrants in the European Union has reached its highest level since 2017, yet important differences remain across origin groups, countries and demographic characteristics. While EU immigrants frequently match or exceed native employment rates across Member States, substantial employment disadvantages remain concentrated among non-EU immigrant women and highly educated non-EU immigrants, pointing to significant untapped labour market potential.

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No. 5/26 - June 2026

The Refugee Population in Europe in 2025: A Decade of Growth Comes to a Halt

The rapid growth of Europe's refugee population has come to an end. Drawing on new UNHCR data, this report shows how falling asylum inflows, the naturalisation of earlier refugee cohorts in Germany, and a reform of temporary protection in Italy are reshaping refugee numbers.

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No. 4/26 - May 2026

Immigrant Educational Attainment in the European Union: Origin, Gender and Cross-Country Differences

This report examines educational attainment among natives, EU-born immigrants, and non-EU-born immigrants across the European Union, highlighting how differences by origin, gender, and country continue to shape educational outcomes despite a general rise in tertiary attainment since 2017.

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News

RFBerlin research and researchers are regularly featured in the press.

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Podcast

20 Aug 2026 • RFBerlin Podcast: Working Papers

Who actually helps you find a job? What German reunification reveals about how we really find work, and the one connection that makes the difference.
Listen now
CReAM at RFBerlin Podcast

13 Aug 2026 • RFBerlin Podcast: Working Papers

Moving away? How people decide to migrate, and whether any policy can change it.
Listen now
Announcement Podcast

12 Aug 2026

Introducing Working Papers: a new podcast season from RFBerlin
Learn more
CReAM at RFBerlin Press

26 Jul 2026 • Radio France Internationale

Tommaso Frattini speaks on record immigrant employment in the EU
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Tweets by @RF_Berlin

rf_berlin

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin

Verified account @rf_berlin ·
3h

🏆 We’re proud to share that our very own Senior Research Officer Izabela Wnuk-Soares received the Best Poster Award at the #EALE2026 Conference in Barcelona! Her winning poster explored “The Supply-Side Effects of Immigration on Prices: Evidence from Nursing Homes”. 🥳

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rf_berlin

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin

Verified account @rf_berlin ·
5h

🧠 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁
Can public childcare shape outcomes across generations? Research by RFBerlin Research Affiliate @m_silliman and Juuso Mäkinen finds that the country’s first public childcare program not only increased parents’ employment but also improved

Reply on Twitter 2095465622016553019 Retweet on Twitter 2095465622016553019 1 Like on Twitter 2095465622016553019
rf_berlin

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin

Verified account @rf_berlin ·
2 Sep

At the #EALE2026 Conference, we were excited to sponsor the Job Market Lunch! 🎓️ 41 candidates had the opportunity to discuss their work and exchange ideas with established researchers, helping them prepare for the job market. A valuable space for feedback, connections, and

2

Reply on Twitter 2095158500460503277 Retweet on Twitter 2095158500460503277 2 Like on Twitter 2095158500460503277 14
rf_berlin

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin

Verified account @rf_berlin ·
2 Sep

Can a temporary hiring subsidy have lasting effects after it ends?
New research by Mimosa Distefano (@CEP_LSE & @RF_Berlin), Lorenzo Incoronato (@csef_unina, @CESifoNetwork & @RF_Berlin) and Anna Raute (@QMUL, @CEPR_org, @CESifoNetwork & @RF_Berlin) studies Italy’s “Bonus Donne”.

Reply on Twitter 2095089622900420984 Retweet on Twitter 2095089622900420984 3 Like on Twitter 2095089622900420984 6

Upcoming events

RFBerlin hosts a wide array of events aimed at fostering academic research and collaboration.

RFBerlin Co-hosted

7 Sep – 8 Sep 2026

Structural Labor Workshop

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RFBerlin Masterclass

24 Sep – 25 Sep 2026

“People, Practices, and Productivity: A Review of New Advances in Personnel Economics”

Taught by Christopher Stanton and Guido Friebel

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RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

25 September 2026

Christopher Stanton (Harvard Business School)

Remote Work Makes Organizations Top-Heavy

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View all events

Handbook of Labor Economics – Chapter Previews

In anticipation of the upcoming Handbook of Labor Economics, we offer early access to select chapters through our Discussion Papers series. Following our 2023 conference on this new edition, first chapters are now available for preview, featuring insights from leading research in economics and labor.

Preview Chapters
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