The Influence of Education and Socioeconomic Background on Age- Specific Migration from Finland †

Abstract

This paper explores the influence of educational attainment on the likelihood of migration from Finland. Annual hazard rates for migration in the late 1980s and 1990s are estimated using detailed micro data from the Finnish longitudinal population register. We show that the effect varies notably by age. Around age 20, the lowest educated people have the highest migration rates, whereas in higher ages the best educated are the most prone to migrate. We also find that people raised in the upper social classes have approximately twice the migration rates of those originating in the lower social classes. Socioeconomic background even turns out to have a stronger impact on migration than education has. The results highlight that making inference about the effect of education on migration can be highly sensitive to agespecific migration patterns, and that more attention should be directed towards the situation in the family home as a migration determinant.

Mother Tongue, Host Country Earnings, and Return Migration: Evidence from Cross-National Administrative Records

“…The motivation is that we have no information about the reason for migration from Finland or about the main activity when having immigrated to Sweden. Previous studies on migration between Finland and Sweden find that the best way to avoid including students and other non‐labor migrants into the study group of labor migrants is to restrict the study population to people in their prime working ages, or those aged 25–55 years (Rooth and Saarela ; Saarela and Finnäs ; Saarela and Rooth ).…”

Multiculturalism and Ethnic Diversity in the Face of Homogenous Nationalism in Finland

“…Upon the arrival of immigrants in Finland, their area of settlement is definitely informed by the number of other immigrants that have settled in that area. This has continued the trend of progressive settlement of immigrants in the already immigrant settlements and a simultaneous avoidance of immigrants settling in areas with no any other immigrants (Saarela, 2009).…”

“…Most parts of Finland are dominantly occupied by the Finnish people with the exception of cities and municipalities that have received immigrants in the past years making them multicultural regions (Saarela, 2009). Areas that have no immigrant settlements seem to be disinterested in immigrant communities and are less welcoming to immigrants.…”

“…As Finland progressively becomes more ethnically diverse and develops its political institutions, it is important to examine the limits of multiculturalism and ethnic diversity in this new immigrant destination country (Liu et al, 2019). Research conducted has revealed that Finns respond differently to ethnic diversity (Saarela & Finnas, 2009). In some cases, it is taken positively and in other cases, it is taken as a threat to local cohesiveness and cultural aspirations.…”