Immigrants' spatial concentration: Region or locality attractiveness?

Abstract

The spatial concentration of immigrants across and within European countries is highly heterogeneous, tending to reinforce the internal spatial disparities within EU Member States and regions. Although European regional data show that the highest levels of foreign‐born population concentration correspond to those NUTS2 regions that contain a large city or metropolitan area, there are other place‐based determinants that might explain their attractiveness to immigrants. Using a comprehensive database at NUTS2 (regional) and LAU2 (local) levels for three large European countries in terms of immigrant population (Italy, Spain, and France), comparable results show how the relevance of these determinants depends on the country under analysis and the spatial unit chosen. This provides challenges for the design of a common future European policy addressing the unresolved demographic issues. Understanding the main regional and local factors of attraction to foreign‐born population within countries is crucial to explain the present spatial concentration patterns and anticipate future migration flows, especially in a context where immigrants are the fastest‐growing population group in those European countries. Nevertheless, there might be a trade‐off between the foreign‐born population alleviating the territorial ageing and depopulation issues and the search for spatial justice.

Immigration, spatial inequality and place attractiveness

“…This point is further emphasised by Viñuela (2021) in her analysis of place attractiveness in Italy, France and Spain. Zooming in on the local level, she finds strong immigrant agglomerations in both blooming and withering localities, albeit with important country variations.…”

“…In France, migrants seem to concentrate in economically declining localities, characterized by older‐age populations and high unemployment rates, although the available data does not allow for further investigations that might explain their attractiveness. Finally, in Italy, immigrants seem to concentrate in the rich regions of the North, however, when zooming in at the local level within these regions, Viñuela (2021) finds large immigrant agglomerations in small, peripheric localities with a strong presence of agriculture, ageing population and high unemployment. She concludes that migrants are attracted to the rich regions of Northern Italy for higher wages and good employment opportunities, but might only be able to find or afford housing in smaller towns within these regions.…”

“…Using the lens of spatial inequalities, this special issue shows that peripheral places, which are considered unattractive from a socioeconomic point of view, can still constitute desirable destinations for certain groups of immigrants. For instance, their relative underdevelopment makes housing, and life more generally, affordable in small towns in Northern Italy (Viñuela, 2021) and Wales (Goodwin‐Hawkins & Jones, 2021). Wales also becomes a desirable destination for those individuals who value natural amenities like nature, the sea and desire a slower rhythm of life and less congestion, confirming existing scholarship arguing that place attractiveness goes beyond classical economic factors such as employment and wages.…”

“…Spatial inequality enables these migrants to lead middle-class life, making the place more affordable for them. Similarly, living on the beautiful but not bountiful coastal areas in Spain (Viñuela, 2021) can be afforded by retirees or lifestyle migrants, but not by economic migrants who need employment opportunities.…”

Emigrating to Depopulated Regions in Mediterranean Europe: Demographic Impact and Choice of Destination in a Case Study in North-East Spain (Aragon)

“…2 However, a second strand of the literature has recently been focusing on the specific characteristics of rural areas in destination countries and migrant integration processes (e.g., Champion, 2012; Collantes et al, 2014; Dufty-Jones, 2014; Shucksmith and Brown, 2016; Rye and Slettebak, 2020, and the works cited therein). 3 Here, economic, demographic and geographic factors have been emphasised in order to better understand when and why immigrants choose rural rather than urban, areas, and which rural areas in particular or to a greater extent (e.g., Rye and Slettebak, 2020;Viñuela, 2021). In rural areas, migration acts as a population refill and it can re-activate the local economy, especially international migration (Hedberg et al 2012;Papadopoulos 2012).…”