Intentions on desired length of stay among immigrants in Italy

Population Space and Place

2018

Investigating future migration intentions as a proxy of future migration behaviours is useful to capture a more complete understanding of the entire migration process.This also allows a fuller consideration of the policy implications of these intentions for the origin and destination countries. The aim of this paper is to analyse the individual factors associated with the return migration intentions of first-generation migrants living in Italy, a new immigration country, whose migrants' return intentions have been little explored so far. We use data from the survey on the "Social Condition and Integration of Foreign Citizens" carried out by ISTAT in 2011-2012, and we apply a binary logistic regression model. The results show both the complexity and the interconnection of the factors associated with return migration intentions and that migration projects, histories, and goals count more than legal status for return intentions. Moreover, results prove that return migration intentions are influenced by conflicting processes, whose outcomes are not always easy to schematize: integration is a factor that tends to strengthen the ties with the country of residence, whereas transnationalism reinforces those with the country of origin. These factors should be considered by policymakers, especially when immigration assumes a crucial role in the receiving countries' labour market structure and population dynamics, such as in the case of Italy. Different migratory backgrounds, profiles, histories, and projects will require in-depth examination by scientists and policymakers, because the long-term ability and willingness of a host country to attract and retain migrants should be adapted accordingly.

Section: Theoretical Background and Previous Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remain or return home: The migration intentions of first‐generation migrants in Italy

Bonifazi

Population Space and Place

2018

“…Finally, identificational integration refers to subjective sense of belonging and identification, particularly in forms of ethnic and/or national, regional or local identifications (Heckmann 2007 ). Sense of belonging to the host country is extremely important for the integration process of any immigrant group, since it strengthens the attachment to the host society and reinforces the intention of a permanent and durable residence abroad (Barbiano di Belgiojoso 2016 ). The personal identity of immigrants and its recognition in a host society is also relevant in the process of integration (Heckmann 2007 ).…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fragmented integration and transnational networks: a case study of Indian immigration to Italy and Spain

Garha

2018

Genus

According to 2016 municipal register data, Italy has the highest number of Indians in continental Europe (151,000), followed by Spain (41,000). Mass immigration from India to Italy and Spain started in the 1990s, but economic and political environments more conducive to the entry and permanent settlement of immigrants have resulted in more rapid growth of the Indian immigrant community in Italy than Spain. Due to the unskilled and irregular nature of Indian immigration and the lack of integration policies for unskilled labour in both countries, the level of integration of Indian immigrants remains unexplored. In this research, we used a qualitative methodology to explore the integration level of Indian immigrants into different spheres of these host societies. We conducted 86 semi-structured interviews with Indian immigrants in seven cities with high concentration of Indian immigrants in both countries over 2016–2017. We found that the level of integration of Indian immigrants into the host societies is fragmented: some segments of the Indian community are integrated into specific spheres of the host societies, while the rest remain excluded. The main reasons for this fragmented integration are the absence of integration policies for unskilled immigrants, Indians’ provisional attitudes towards permanent settlement in these countries, the internal diversity of the Indian immigrant community and frequent international mobility through transnational networks.

“…During the lifetime migrants may change their future plans: if the decision to leave their home country may appear at the beginning of the migratory process as permanent, over time migrants may express the intention to come back home or to emigrate to another country. In such a context, it is relevant to analyse migrants’ future intentions since they may represent a good predictor and may influence actual behaviour on the return (Barbiano di Belgiojoso, ). In this respect, we believe that the knowledge of migrants’ plans and desires concerning return can facilitate researchers to better understand the migration experience, specifically its triggers and effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

To stay or to return? Return migration intentions of Moroccans in Italy

International Migration

Ambrosetti

2017

Using data from the Statistics on Income and living conditions of families with migrants carried out by ISTAT in 2009, we empirically examine the effect of micro level determinants on Moroccans’ return migration intentions. Although Moroccans living in Italy do not have a clear aspiration to return, the socio-economic and work conditions in Italy determine their migration intentions. Furthermore, our research led us to argue that macro-level determinants should also be considered. In particular, emigration, immigration and integration policies represent key elements in the analysis of the dilemma between to stay or to return. Therefore, the promotion of long-term immigration policies, which allow the achievement of a permanent residence in the host country, combined with institutional reforms, which make the origin country socially, economically and politically more attractive for migrants are essential to complete the debate about to stay or to return