Immigrant consumption of sickness benefits in Sweden, 1982-1991

This study identifies factors influencing the differences in utilization of sickness benefits between immigrants and natives in Sweden. The main conclusion is that the differences in consumption of sickness benefits between foreign born and Swedes, as well as between various immigrant groups are large and persist after accounting for standard human capital factors. In fact, the difference due to country of birth is larger than differences due to other human capital factors such as education and sex. It is also larger than income position and urban/rural differences. It is, however, not simply a matter of arriving as labor immigrant or asylum seeker but has a more complex pattern. This study utilizes a register-based panel containing economic and demographic information on a sample of 110,000 Swedes and immigrants from 16 countries.