This comparative study focuses on the barriers to social and economic inclusion, as well as the integration and coping strategies of Arab and Moldovan migrants in Romania. We explored the integration barriers they face, the main individual and societal aspects that lead to their resilience, and their self-perception of vulnerability, by carrying out 35 psychosocial interviews and four focus groups with young migrants (aged 18 to 29), belonging to the two different subgroups (of Arab and Moldovan origins, respectively). The comparative analysis revealed that migrants from Arab countries face harsher integration barriers compared to Moldovan migrants, they have a more severe self-perceived vulnerability, and their integration may be a longer and more complex process. Results showed that mastery of the language and the network of acquaintances play an indispensable role in inclusion. Moldovans integrate more easily than Arabs, thanks to their fluency in Romanian, the native language shared with the majority local population, the geographical and cultural proximity to the country of destination, and the larger personal network. We highlight the need for improving integration policies for young migrants, tailoring them to the specific problems and barriers that migrants are facing.

Set against the backdrop of socio-economic and political developments in an Eastern European country – post-socialist Romania, a case in point – this paper explores the roles of volunteering as a type of international mobility, over the last two decades. By applying qualitative analysis, the study aims to shed light on new developments of Romanian international volunteering. It has the novel goal of explaining the benefits of international volunteering, as perceived by Romanian youth, and as compared to their initial expectations. The findings, supported by 17 in-depth interviews, prove that the main effects noticed by the great majority of Romanian respondents include “eye-opening” and “personal growth.” Also, most of the young interviewees have mentioned an increasing sense of altruism, the volunteering experience being generally perceived as a positive one, with benefits beyond the respondents’ initial expectations.