Syrian Refugees: Boon or Bust?

Abstract

Although the Syrian Refugee Crisis has fallen out of the United States’ peripheral, the ongoing crisis still has a significant and on-going impact today. Millions of refugees have been displaced from Syria and have fled across the Middle East and Europe. With much time having passed since the start of this major humanitarian crisis, it is important to analyze the impact refugees have on the countries they are forced to flee to. Much work has gone into the analysis of the social impact, but little effort has been made to analyze the economic impact of Syrian refugees. Our analysis of Syrian refugees has shown that not only are they not a burden on countries’ economies, but they tend to benefit countries that they migrate to. From comparative advantage to small-business creation, Syrian refugees have proven to be a boon on economies on both a micro and macro level. The outcomes of this analysis should be further considered when evaluating the entrance of Syrian refugees into receiving countries, such as the United States. In addition, the outcomes should be considered in working to dismantle negative stereotypes and notions that are used to deny Syrian refugees admittance into receiving countries.