Berlin Institute for Comparative Social Research

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1 Berlin Institute for Comparative Social Research Member of the European Migration Centre (EMZ) Project: Protection and Aid Measures for Female Marriage Migrants from Third Countries in the Member States of the European Union NEWSLETTER Nr. 1: Statistical Figures Concerning Female Marriage Migrants to Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom DAPHNE Programme - European Commission September 24

2 INTRODUCTION Marriage migration is an extremely sensitive issue still lacking sufficient research. The project "Protection and Aid Measures for Female Marriage Migrants from Third Countries in the Member States of the European Union" investigates the access of migrant women, coming under the specific category of marriage migrants, to legal and social counselling. The aim of the project is to build on the basis provided by the outcomes of the first part of the project and to present an in-depth analysis of the legal and social situation of female marriage migrants from third countries in all EU member states. To this end, a statistical overview of marriage migration is necessary in order to fuller understand the significance of marriage migration, especially in relation to other forms of migration (asylum, labor, etc.) in the EU today. These newsletters provide such an overview and in many cases demonstrate the growth of marriage migration, especially female marriage migration, over the past years. The three newsletters divide the 11 countries into three geographic regions: North, Central and South. While it can only be seen as a positive measure that such an overview is available, the scope of these newsletters does not include a comparison between countries and fully recognises the shortcomings of not doing so. However, the newsletters do provide a solid introductory overview to marriage migration figures. Newsletter Nr. 1 provides an overview for Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. 2

3 DENMARK Denmark s recent immigration law re-inforces an already strict policy of limited immigration while reiterating its desire to remain a welfare state unpenetrated by foreign abusers. The law, which went into effect in July 22, maintains three "considerations." These include various contradictory stipulations such as retaining international committments to refugees and asylum applicants, but also limiting the welfare access of new immigrants/refugees, and enforcing a policy of integration. 1 The effects of the 22 Immigration Law on marriage migrants still remains to be seen. As of 22, more foreign wives than foreign husbands were registered for marriage in Denmark. In particular, 3,227 foreign wives and 2,15 foreign husbands immigrated for the purposes of marriage. Within this group, the largest share for foreign husbands stemmed from within the EU-15 countries whereas the majority of foreign wives arrived from other European countries. See Figures 1, 2a and 2b for more details. Figure 1: Denmark: Binational marriages by continent, Husbands Wives EU Countries Other Europe North America South and Central America Asia Stateless Figure 2a: Denmark: Foreign Husbands Married to Danish Women by continent, 22 South and Central America 4% Asia 15% 1% Stateless 3% EU Countries 34% North Am erica 4% 9% Other Europe 3% 1 We re full up too: Denmark s immigration law. The Economist. Online Edition. 6 June 22. Accessed 2. October 24. 3

4 Figure 2b: Denmark: Foreign Wives Married to Danish Men by continent, 22 Asia 3% 1% Stateless 1% EU Countries 1 South and C e n tra l A m e ric a 6% North America 3% Other Europe 34% Further examining the number of third country female marriage migrants to Denmark, Turkey and Norway constitute the largest share of non-15eu European migrants. In 22, 34% of all foreign wives were non-eu15 women. Of this 34%, 143 women or 19% of non-eu European marriage migrants stemmed from Turkey. In addition, 129 women or 1 of non-eu15 European marriage migrants traveled to Denmark from Norway. Figure 3 illustrates this in detail. Figure 3: Denmark: Non-EU European spouses of Danish nationals, Husbands Wives Bosnia-Herzegovina Estonia Belarus Iceland Yugoslavia (former) Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Norway Poland Romania Russia Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Rest of Europe The next largest group of female marriage migrants in 22 arrived from Asia. Here, Thai wives constituted one third of all marriages between Asian women and Danish men: 219 of the 657 marriage registrations. This was by far the largest group within Asia. The next largest group consisted of Pakistani women, who, similar to Turkish women, immigrated on the basis of family reunification. Pakistani wives contributed to 11% of Asian partner marriages with 52 marriage migrants total. See Figure 4 for more details. 4

5 Figure 4: Denmark: Nationality of Asian wives married to Danish nationals, 22 Viet nam Rest of Asia Philippines India 2% Iraq 3% Iran Jordan T hailand 34% Sri Lanka 5% Pakistan 11% 1% China Lebanon 5% Finally, Figure 5 below illustrates the 1 most often registered marriages between Danish men and third country nationals, not including any of the Scandinavian countries. Figure 5: Denmark: Top 1 countries of origin of foreign wives, 22* Thailand Turkey Russia *not including EU15 or Nordic countries Poland Pakistan USA Iran Philippines Vietnam China Sources: Statistics Denmark We re full up too: Denmark s immigration law. The Economist. Online Edition. 6 June 22. Accessed 2. October 24. 5

6 SWEDEN Similar to Denmark, Sweden has also adopted a historically strict immigration policy based on humanitarian grounds and family reunification. 2 In comparison, few migrants were permitted entry based on work authorisation. In 23, the majority of the 37,545 immigrants that were granted residence in Sweden arrived on the basis of family reunification, followed by humanitarian grounds and official labor/work migration. Figures 6a and 6b below illustrate in detail immigration to Sweden in 23. Figure 6a: Sweden: Immigrants by Grounds for Settlement, 23 work studies unknown other 3% 3% need of protection 6% humanitarian grounds 11% family ties 62% Source: Statistics Sweden Figure 6b: Sweden: Immigrants by Grounds for Settlement by Sex, Men Women need of protection humanitarian grounds family ties work studies other unknown Source: Statistics Sweden Based on the figures above, marriage migration as a significant share of settling for family ties cannot be understated. Specifically, the statistics show an overwhelmingly female presence in family reunification. Women permitted to stay in Sweden due to family ties were registered at 14,172 in 23. The most common countries of origin for these women were Iraq and Thailand. Figure 7 below illustrates in detail. 2 See Newsletter Nr 2: Overviews of the Current National Legal Frameworks Guiding the Residence of Female Marriage Migrants in Denmark, Finland, Irelands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Project Marriage as Immigration Gate: The Situation of Female Marriage Migrants from Third Countries in the EU Member States. Berlin: Berlin Institute for Comparative Research, 23. Available online at 6

7 Figure 7: Sweden: Women Settling on the Grounds of Family Ties, by Country of Origin, 23 Country of Origin Number Percent Bosnia and Herzegovina 342 2,41% Iraq ,46% Iran (Islamic Republic of) 435 3, Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of 385 2,72% China (excluding Hong Kong) 676 4,7 United Kingdom 26 1,45% Thailand ,91% Germany 456 3,22% other countries ,99% Source: Statistics Sweden The 22 marriage records are tell-tale of the marriage migration of third country nationals to Sweden. In 22, 414 foreign wives and 665 foreign husbands were registered. For foreign wives, the largest share of bi-national marriages were registered between Swedish men and Asian women (31%). Following Asian women, non-eu15 European women made up the second largest share at 3%. Please see Figure 8 below for more details. Figure 8: Sweden: Nationality of Foreign Wife by Continent, 22 Asia 31% 2% EU 15 excluding Finland and Denmark 1 South America North America 9% 4% O ther Europe, excluding Nordic countries 3% Source: Statistics Sweden Sources: Statistics Sweden Newsletter Nr 2: Overviews of the Current National Legal Frameworks Guiding the Residence of Female Marriage Migrants in Denmark, Finland, Irelands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Project Marriage as Immigration Gate: The Situation of Female Marriage Migrants from Third Countries in the EU Member States. Berlin: Berlin Institute for Comparative Research, 23. Available online at 7

8 UNITED KINGDOM Immigration policy in the United Kingdom has changed significantly over the past years. The most recent Act, the Nationality, Immigration, and Asylum Act of 22 marks the beginning of a new period in U.K. immigration policy. 3 For marriage migrants, or those who are already married to a U.K. resident and seek access into the country, or those who arrive for the purpose of marriage, the Act provides a number of stipulations. The effects of these regulations are still to be seen. Before the Act was passed, immigration and subsequent settlement approval were increasing. This trend too was overwhelmingly female with more wives than husbands arriving in the United Kingdom. Figure 9 below shows a five-year span before the passage of the Nationality, Immigration, and Asylum Act in 22. Figure 9: United Kingdom: Foreign Husbands and Wives granted Settlement, Husbands Wives Source: Home Office, United Kingdom In 21, 33,38 foreign husbands and 61,55 foreign wives were granted settlement on the basis of family reunification in the United Kingdom. The majority of both foreign wives and foreign husbands came from the Indian subcontinent. The second largest share of of foreign husbands arrived from, while the second largest share of foreign wives emigrated from Asia, not including the Indian subcontinent. It is important to note that foreign husbands and foreign wives counted here are not only the spouses of U.K. citizens but also U.K. residents as well. Figures 1, 11a and 11b illustrate these numbers in detail below. 3 For more details see Newsletter Nr 2: Overviews of the Current National Legal Frameworks Guiding the Residence of Female Marriage Migrants in Denmark, Finland, Irelands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Project Marriage as Immigration Gate: The Situation of Female Marriage Migrants from Third Countries in the EU Member States. Berlin: Berlin Institute for Comparative Research, 23. Available online at 8

9 Figure 1: United Kingdom: Foreign Spouses granted Settlement in 21, by continent Wives Husbands Europe Americas Indian sub-contine Rest of Asi Other nationalit Source: Home Office Figure 11a: United Kingdom: Foreign Husbands granted settlement in 21, by continent Rest of Asia O ther nationalities % Europe Americas 14% Indian sub-continent 41% 23% Source: Home Office Figure 11b: United Kingdom: Foreign Wives granted settlement in 21, by continent Rest of Asia 2% 5% Other nationalities % Europe 14% Americas 12% Indian sub-continent 32% 1 Source: Home Office 9

10 Sources: Home Office, United Kingdom Newsletter Nr 2: Overviews of the Current National Legal Frameworks Guiding the Residence of Female Marriage Migrants in Denmark, Finland, Irelands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Project Marriage as Immigration Gate: The Situation of Female Marriage Migrants from Third Countries in the EU Member States. Berlin: Berlin Institute for Comparative Research, 23. Available online at 1

11 CONCLUSION Marriage Migration patterns to Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom differed significantly according to country of origin and the actual number permitted to settle. Similar between the countries, however, was the inclusion of marriage migration under family reunification procedures thus accounting for its large share of the overall migration to Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. 11