Recent Migration Trends into the Nordic Region Byplanmøde 2016 6-7 October 2016 Malmö, Sweden Timothy Heleniak Senior Research Fellow Nordregio timothy.heleniak@nordregio.se
Outline About Nordregio From Migrants to Workers National immigration trends Regional immigration trends Conclusions
At the crossroads between research and policy Nordregio s mandate is to: Conduct applied research on regional development, planning and policies Provide policy-relevant knowledge and comparative case studies for Nordic decision-makers and practitioners at all levels of governance Enhance Nordic collaboration on regional development, planning and policies and create Nordic added value Nordic organization Funded and guided by Nordic Council of Ministers
Nordregio research themes Demography, socio-economic analysis and welfare Urban planning, sustainable regional development Arctic development Green growth, bioeconomy, innovation and entrepreneurship
Geographical focus of Nordregio Nordic countries The Arctic The Baltic Sea Region Europe
From Migrants to Workers: Migrants Role in the Regional Labor Markets in the Nordic Countries
From migrants to workers The aim of the project is to explore the role and functions that the immigrants play in maintaining a well-functioning labour market and potentially also in the development of the local and regional labour markets. The project focuses on remote, rural and sparsely populated areas. Two parts: Quantitative analysis of total and composition of migration into Nordic countries and regions Case studies in selected regions of the actual process of integration
Measuring immigrant intergration First broad international comparison across all EU and OECD countries of the outcomes for immigrants and thier children Compiling indicators at the international level is challenging but fruitful Areas of integration Labour market outcomes Job quality Adult s congnitive skills and training Household income Housing Health status and health care Civic engagement Social cohesion
On several indicators, Nordic countries fare amongst the worst in spite of dedicated and well-funded integration programs.
Group 4: Destination countries with significant recent and humanitarian migration (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden) Humanitarian immigrants and their families have accounted for much recent immigration Immigrants are overrepresented at both ends of the education spectrum Humanitarian migrants struggle to integrate High shares take up host-country citizenship Integration policies are strong and long-standing
From Migrants to Workers: National immigration trends
Immigration has become major source of population increase in the Nordic region Norway Sweden 50 000 45 000 Natural increase Net migration 90 000 80 000 Natural increase Net migration 40 000 70 000 35 000 60 000 30 000 50 000 25 000 40 000 20 000 30 000 15 000 20 000 10 000 10 000 5 000 0-10 000 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015-20 000 Finland Denmark 20 000 18 000 Natural increase Net migration 45 000 40 000 Natural increase Net migration 16 000 35 000 14 000 30 000 12 000 25 000 10 000 20 000 8 000 6 000 15 000 4 000 10 000 2 000 5 000 0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Immigration flows into the Nordic countries have increased substantially in recent years.
International migration is at historical highs
Sending countries have become increasingly diverse
Sending countries have become increasingly diverse. cont.
Foreign-origin populations tend to be among young adults In 2015, 13.5 percent of the foreign born population in Iceland were foreign born. Between ages 26 and 37, the foreign born population made up more than onequarter of each age group. In 2015, 30 percent of the population of Sweden had a foreign background and nearly 40 percent of those ages 25 to 34 years of age had a foreign background.
Foreign-origin populations tend to be among young adults.cont. In 2015, 6.1 percent of the entire population of Finland had been born abroad. From ages 25 to 39, the foreign-born population was more than double their overall share. Overall in 2016, immigrants and their descendants made up 12.3 percent of the total population in Denmark. From ages 27 to 34, thirty or more percent of the population is of foreign ancestry.
Foreign origin population in the Nordic countries Nordic countries define foreignorigin differently but all point to same trend
Foreign origin population in the Nordic countries People with different backgrounds require different levels of integration, e.g. second generation
Foreign origin population in the Nordic countries Nordic countries have become much less homogeneous in past few decades
From Migrants to Workers: Regional immigration trends
Presents six different types of municipalities based on migration pattern in 2010. Firstly the migration flow is defined as high when the total number of migrated people (in and out) as a share of total population is above 10% and low when below 10%. The net migration has it divisions of positive > 0.5%, stable -0.5-0.5% and negative < -0.5%. Capitals and surrounding regions have high turnover and positive migration Many periphery regions have low flows and out migration
General trend in most regions, including sparsely-populated periphery regions, has been net losses from internal migration, and net gains from international migration.
Capitals and other urban municipalities have large and positive domestic in-migration, while rural and periphery regions have outmigration Nearly all regions in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark have positive international migration, while others have losses outside capitals
Simultaneously pattern of increased population concentration into larger settlements
Large increase in foreign-born population both nationally and regionally in all Nordic countries and regions. General trend is positive international migration in peripheral regions and negative internal migration.
Remote and peripheral regions have older and less educated populations
Different concentrations by country of birth More people from FSU in Finland Less Poles in Finland, more in other Nordic including Iceland
Conclusions Nordic countries have become increasingly diverse over recent decades with increase in foreign population Nordic countries have welldeveloped integration programs Some recent efforts to manage migration Recent strong commitment by Nordic ministers towards integration Reykjavik rainbow (photo by David Broome). Recent immigration could be used to compensate for declines in remote regions but will take effort
Tack så mycket Timothy Heleniak Senior Research Fellow Nordregio timothy.heleniak@nordregio.se www.nordregio.se