Migration patterns and immigrant characteristics in north-western Europe

Helga A.G. de Valk

Geneva September 2011

• Outline and aims

1. Patterns of immigration

2. Characteristics of migrants from Africa and Latin America

3. Children of immigrants and ageing migrant populations

• Study countries

Belgium

Germany

The Netherlands

United Kingdom

• Diverse migration histories

• Large share of total group of immigrants reside in

these four countries

• Data

Most recent available data from national statistical

offices, EUROSTAT, OECD

Comparability sometimes limited

Definitions also prone to immigration laws and

naturalization

Migration data lack completeness and coverage

More harmonized and better data are needed

1. Patterns of immigration

Netherlands Germany

United Kingdom Belgium

Age and sex structure all immigrants to the Netherlands 2009

Age and sex structure African immigrants to the Netherlands 2009

Age and sex structure Latin American immigrants to the Netherlands 2009

Aqcuiring residence

• Mainly related to family• For majority of African and Latin American

groups• Exceptions e.g. Somalians in the Netherlands

(mainly refugees), Brazilian migrants to Germany (mainly study related), Congolese in Belgium (related to asulym and study)

• Gender differences

• Only migrants who applied for residence are covered, no irregular migration

2. Characteristics of residing migrants

Share of population foreign born or with a foreign nationality, per country of settlement

Foreign born

(%)

Foreign nationality

(%)

Foreign born with

citizenship of country of

residence (%)

Belgium 10.7 8.2 40.8

Germany 12.5 8.9 n.a.

Netherlands 10.1 4.2 65.0

United Kingdom 8.3 4.5 n.a.

Population (15 years and over) by region of birth and gender, per country of residence, 2001

NL Belgium UK Germany

Region of Country of birth total sex ratio total

sex ratio

unknown 79,301 0.99 538 0.65 39,276 0.90 6,498,830 0.96

Africa 213,944 1.25 232,434 1.14 762,575 0.97 177,560 1.86

Asia 323,352 0.99 62,280 0.91 1,475,375 0.96 965,858 1.03

Europe 11,802,653 0.97 8,160,885 0.94 44,733,023 0.92 60,379,511 0.94

- of which host country 11,273,174 0.98 7,471,702 0.94 43,181,018 0.93 55,009,291 0.93

North America 14,122 1.00 14,141 0.87 193,335 0.84 39,080 1.64

Oceania 8,661 0.71 1,259 0.98 156,804 0.83 - -

Latin America and Caribbean 291,372 0.85 19,992 0.67 324,096 0.80 52,760 0.51

Total 12,733,405 0.97 8,491,529 0.94 47,684,484 0.92 68,113,599 0.94

Age and sex structure African/Latin

American migrants in

the Netherlands

7000 5000 3000 1000 1000 3000 5000 7000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

6000 4000 2000 2000 4000 6000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

45000 30000 15000 15000 30000 45000

0-55-9

10-1415-1920-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-6465-6970-7475-7980-8485+

10000 7500 5000 2500 2500 5000 7500 10000

0-55-9

10-1415-1920-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-6465-6970-7475-7980-8485+

Age and sex structure African/Latin

American migrants in

the UK

Share of African Latin American immigrants in the total population, the Netherlands 2011

Share of north-African and sub-Saharan immigrants in the total population, Belgium 2001

3. Children of immigrants and ageing migrant populations

• 20/25 percent of the school aged population already is of immigrant origin

• substantial share of second generation (children of immigrants) and expected to increase in the future

Migrants in the Netherlands, by migrant generation, 2010

Source: Statistics Netherlands

Children living in two parent families, by country of residence and region of origin (%)

Netherlands United Kingdom

Native born families 89.4 75.3

Immigrant families 75.0 83.6

East Asia and pacific 80.9 83.8

Europe and central

Asia

81.0 85.0

Latin America &

Caribbean

57.8 71.7

Middle east and north

Africa

83.8 87.8

South Asia 82.6 88.2

Sub-Saharan Africa 53.0 76.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Total

Native children

Total First generation

Europe (excluding NL)

EU-15

EU-10 (selection)

Other Europa (incl. Russia and Turkey)

Af rica

Central America and Carribean

North-America

South-America

Asia

Oceania

Total Second generation

Europe (excluding NL)

EU-15

EU-10 (selection)

Other Europa (incl. Russia and Turkey)

Af rica

Central America and Carribean

North-America

South-America

Asia

Oceania

Intermarriages with a native Dutch spouse for parents of children of immigrants of different origin and generation (%),

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Total

Native children

Total First generation

Europe (excluding NL)

EU-15

EU-10 (selection)

Other Europa (incl. Russia and Turkey)

Af rica

Central America and Carribean

North-America

South-America

Asia

Oceania

Total Second generation

Europe (excluding NL)

EU-15

EU-10 (selection)

Other Europa (incl. Russia and Turkey)

Af rica

Central America and Carribean

North-America

South-America

Asia

Oceania

Labor market position of fathers of second generation children of immigrants from selected African countries of origin, the Netherlands 2006

(%)

Not

employed Part time employed

Full time employed

Other like self

employed

Ethiopia 0.27 0.22 0.38 0.06

Somalia 0.60 0.15 0.19 0.02

Angola 0.46 0.17 0.22 0.03

Congo, Democratic Republic 0.43 0.19 0.25 0.04

Egypt 0.30 0.14 0.29 0.28

Morocco 0.41 0.18 0.36 0.04

South Africa 0.08 0.18 0.65 0.10

Cape Verde 0.15 0.19 0.56 0.03

Ghana 0.17 0.22 0.58 0.04

Nigeria 0.20 0.20 0.52 0.07

Ageing immigrant populations

• Ageing mainly issue for those who migrated before early 1970s

• Origins depend on migration history: labour migrants and colonial links

•Majority is still between 50-65

•Limited knowledge about their position, majority of studies related to health

•Ageing and return as emerging issues

Level of agreement with statement child should

take care of sick parents

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Turkish Moroccan Surinames NetherlandsAntilles and

Aruba

Dutch

Strongly agree Series2 Series3 Series4 Strongly disagree

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Turkish Moroccan Surinames NetherlandsAntilles and

Aruba

Dutch

Strongly agree 2 3 4 Strongly disagree

Source: De Valk & Schans 2008 based on NKPS data

Level of agreement with statement child should take parents in home

when old

Level of loneliness by origin group11-item scale (de Jong Gierveld), the

Netherlands

3

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

native Moroccan Turks Antilleans Surinamese

Source: De Valk & Van Droogenbroeck 2010 based on NKPS data

Conclusions and outlook

• Diversity in background origin, position after migration both between as well as within regions of origin

• Settlement determined by job opportunities but family/social networks and language important

• Socio economic position determined by characteristics of migrants (before and after migration) and country of settlement

• Family most important reason for migration, less prone to economic crisis?

Conclusions and outlook

• Economic crisis affects young in particular and many in this group are of the second generation

• Second generation more important for labour market in ageing societies

• Ageing migrants and their needs/expectations; second generation sandwich generation in particular for women ?

• Undocumented migration, economic crisis, development in origin countries...