Contractual obligation, individual autonomy, and sanction in targeting benefits for third-country nationals' work promotion in Austria, Finland, and the Czech Republic
Abstract
This article analyses the implication of contractual obligation, individual autonomy, and sanction under targeting benefits to understand young third-country immigrants' transition from welfare to work in Austria, Finland, and Czech Republic. Existing research pointed to targeting benefits that emphasize eligibility to public resources are based on means-tested need but may not reach all intended beneficiaries.
Based on document and content analysis, this article concludes a convergence towards legislative behavioural targeting governance that administers young third country immigrants' transition to work. However, the behavioural requirements in Austria are dissimilar to those of Finland and Czech Republic because it is based on the individual basis whereas Finland and Czech Republic focus on the units of households.
The outcome pointed to neo-liberal real politic governance. This is relevant because it reflects a pivotal shift in the conventional welfare-state discourse based on a social-democratic model that may undermine immigrants' belongings, infringe transparency, and penalize participatory democracy.