Moving on? Gender, education, and citizenship as key factors among short‐term onward migration planners

Abstract

Onward migration is a rising issue in migration studies as a consequence of the growing complexity in migration patterns worldwide. This paper analyses historic and economic reasons behind the recent surge of onward migration from Southern European countries and, more specifically, Italy.Using 2014 ORIM data about short-term onward migration intentions and a logistic regression model, the paper explores factors that select aspirant onward migrants from Italy. The model tests the effects of socio-demographic and economic factors. The results of the study question the idea of citizenship as the highest level of integration in the host country and suggest that the recent wave of onward migration from Italy is mainly a reactive phenomenon triggered by the economic crisis. Most of all, this study explicitly underlines the role of gender in shaping intentions of short-term onward migration in Italy. The gender-sensible approach adopted in the present study shows the important role of women in the decision-making process of couples: female unemployment significantly increases intentions of onward migration, and the migration is also considered as an opportunity for the spouse and a gain in the economic prospects of the entire family.Conversely, female employment has a significant role in preventing onward migration.

Re‐emigration of foreign‐born residents from Sweden: 1990–2015

“…Having previous migration experience before moving to Sweden increases the chances of moving onward, which makes sense because these individuals already have proven to be mobile. In contrast to return migration, obtaining Swedish citizenship increases onward migration likelihoods because citizenship, aside with representing political and civic integration, also enables individuals to move more freely, for example, within the European Union (Ortensi & Barbiano di Belgiojoso, ). When interacted with birth country though, we see that this aspect of Swedish citizenship applies to some countries more than others (Figure f).…”

“…For example, Barbiano di Belgiojoso and Ortensi () notice onward migration intentions from Italy, in contrast to return migration intentions, as even more related to unemployment and economic downturn. And even if men are over‐represented in terms of onward migration (Haandrikman & Hassanen, ; Nekby, ), this finding holds true also for female unemployment, showing the importance of female breadwinners and their decisions in the household (Ortensi & Barbiano di Belgiojoso, ). Whereas Barbiano di Belgiojoso and Ortensi () find that those with higher education had decreased return probabilities, they also find that more highly educated men had a higher likelihood of onward migration.…”

“…Although refugee migrants are less inclined to return back to their country of origin, they might be more likely to move onward as a way of “adjusting” their migration context, as their choice of receiving country may have been made less out of free will. For example, legal integration through the means of acquiring citizenship is used to overcome legal barriers to preferred host countries (Mas Giralt, ; Ortensi & Barbiano di Belgiojoso, ). In a case study of Iranian refugees moving onward from Sweden by Kelly (), onward migration was found to be related to processes of overcoming feelings of displacement and reinforcing personal agency.…”

“…In their recent study, Ortensi and Barbiano di Belgiojoso () found the drivers behind onward migration to be the subject of constant change. Political instability and policy changes such as Brexit and the asylum policy turnaround in Sweden influencing perceived opportunities and mobility possibilities might therefore influence directions of flows and destinations dramatically in relatively short periods of time.…”

“…Ortensi and Barbiano di Belgiojoso () suggest that changing European policies (e.g., Brexit) and restrictions on asylum acceptance in Germany and Sweden will influence future migrants' onward migration intentions. This study's results support this view.…”