From reception to a municipality: reading transition data

Separate the milestones

An asylum decision, a residence permit, housing and a personal plan are different events. Tables may measure time between different pairs of milestones.

Check the measurement date

Older publications describe the situation at a particular date and may not represent current waiting times. Look for the cohort and reference date in each table.

Avoid treating a group average as an individual timeline

A median or category distribution describes many people. Your own timing depends on case steps, housing availability and municipality processes.

Separate the stages in the timeline

Reception, a decision on status, municipal housing, intake, and the start of a personal plan are different events. Check which starting point and endpoint a chart uses, and whether it reports a median, average, or share within a period. Delays between stages can shape later outcomes, but the chart alone may not explain their causes. A chart can identify how long transitions took without explaining why an individual waited; use accompanying notes for scope and exclusions.