
28 Oct 2026
Wallnöfer Prize 2026 for Valentin Wett's dissertation
Valentin Wett received the Eduard Wallnöfer Prize 2026 in the category "Society, Mind and Future" for his dissertation on the labor market integration of refugees in Austria, which I supervised. As he was abroad on the day of the ceremony, I had the pleasure of accepting the certificate on his behalf.
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Using linked Austrian administrative data and quasi-experimental methods, the dissertation estimates the causal effects of local labor demand, welfare benefits and early access to apprenticeships on refugees' employment. Early access to an apprenticeship in a shortage occupation improves employment trajectories in the long run, and a receptive local labor market affects whether refugees stay in the region they were assigned to. The level of welfare benefits has only a small effect on employment and on staying. Congratulations, Valentin!


