When Will the Russians Come? On Post-Soviet Immigration and Integration in Sweden

Mobilities, 2015

This article contributes to debates about the long-term development of migration dynamics. The argument is based on a study of the transnational dynamics of the migration flows between Finland and Sweden. The two countries provide a good case for studying the long-term development of migration patterns, since there has been a full freedom of movement and the migration patterns are well documented. The article argues that the postwar labor migration from Finland to Sweden created a transnational social space that still today facilitates migration between the two countries. Although Finnish citizens dominate the migration flows in both directions, the number of Swedish migrants has steadily increased. This new pattern can be explained by the development of the transnational social space involving an increasing number of mixed families.

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000

We show that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania despite small geographical size feature considerable and persistent regional disparities. Registered migration rates have declined dramatically since the last years of Soviet era, yet they are high by international standards. Evidence from regional inflows and outflows in Latvia and from Estonian labour force survey is used to show that regional unemployment and especially wage differentials, as well as demographic factors, have a significant impact both on gross and net migration flows. Age and education effects are consistent with predictions of the human capital model of migration. Unemployed persons, as well as commuters between regions, are significantly more likely to become migrants in Estonia.

Finnish Yearbook of Population Research, 1997

The article concentrates on social and ethnic background factors in the Baltic Sea area transition economies with special reference to Estonian-Russian relations in Estonia. The general framework of the study deals with the transition to a market economy and the effects this transition has on east-west migration. The data for the study was collected in 1996 from four major city regions in four transition countries, this article being based on findings from Tallinn and St. Petersburg. A specific aspect discussed here is the connection between ethnically-based relative deprivation and willingness to emigrate. Indeed, the Tallinn Russians with the most notable tendency towards deprivation do indicate the highest propensity to emigrate. However, as remarked in the final section, the connections between the willingness to emigrate and factors underlying it are far more complex.

Communist and Post-Communist Studies, 2004

Following a short-term burst of migration activity after the dissolution of the USSR, the current situation is marked by the unusually low population territorial mobility, defined by both the political and, increasingly, the socioeconomic factors. While this trend indicates some degree of minority accommodation, it also demonstrates the depth of economic crisis and increasing socioeconomic differentiation. Visible also is the disproportionate influence exercised by Russia on the formation of migration flows in the region. Remaining the major recipient of migrants, Russia increasingly plays a role of supplier of labor migrants to the West, and acts as a ‘‘bridge’’ for those attempting to reach Western Europe. Meanwhile, Russia still lacks an effective legislative base, institutional mechanisms, and political will for dealing with the new migration flows.

2010

In this paper, I outline processes of international migration to the Swedish countryside by investigating the demographic effects and the interregional mobility of international migrants in rural Sweden from a labour market perspective. The study is based on longitudinal register-data, and combines data on immigration to Sweden with unique micro-level geographical data. The results show that the annual increase of international migration is higher in rural and small-scale localities than in larger localities. The demographic effects of international migration are positive in rural and small-scale localities compared to those in larger localities. The total dependency ratio is relatively low. Accordingly, immigration is contributing to a positive population structure in the countryside. Moreover, international migrants have a higher employment rate in rural and small-scale localities than in larger localities, also when aspects such as country of birth are controlled for. The analysi...

Yearbook of population research in Finland = Väestöntutkimuksen vuosikirja

The aim of this study is to analyse the initial allocation of immigrants to Sweden 1967-2005 by gender in a regional perspective. Vacancies, unemployment and labour market participation as well as geographical areas with many previous immigrants are included in the analysis as pull-factors.

The immigrants' settlement patterns in Sweden have changed a lot during the last 45 years. The aim of this study is to analyse the settlement patterns of immigrants during differing times and circumstances regarding labour market conditions, structural transformation and changes in the Swedish immigration policy. The period analysed covers 1967-2005 and regression analyses based on cross-section data for the years 1967, 1975, 1990 and 2005 are used. These years cover the changing character of immigration to Sweden – from labour import to refugees and tied-movers – that resulted in different settlement patterns. These years will also give an opportunity to analyse the role of shifting immigration policy and its impact on the regional settlement patterns for different types of immigrants. Region refers to county in this study. Vacancies, unemployment, employment levels and previous migration flows the accumulated stock of immigrants will be used as independent variables, as well a...

The economic and demographic factors shape the mobility of people between regions in a country or among nations. Migrants not only help in economic development and boost country’s growth but also compensate shortage in labour markets. At the same time, migration leads to the exacerbation of social tensions. Their cultural, linguistic and religious diversities and the lack of integration programmes lead them to live in closed enclaves. It has been observed that, migration also poses a threat to social and cultural destabilization of society and even sometimes to national security also. The proposed paper would study the changing nature of migration and its impact on Russian society.

Migration is a key consequence of social and economic changes and, besides, one of regional inequality evaluation criteria. Social and economic indicators in Russian regions differ dramatically, which theoretically should stimulate interregional migration. However, despite the fact that development rates vary significantly between regions, migration trends remain stable. The aim of this research is to answer the question why it is so. What are the barriers of migration? The chart below (see fig. ) shows the decrease in Russia's officially recorded internal migration rate during the 1990s and its stabilization from 2002 to 2008.

The aim of this study is to analyse the initial settlement patterns of 10 immigrant groups during differing times and in circumstances in terms of labour market conditions, structural transformation and changes in the Swedish immigration policy. The regression analyses are based on cross-section period data for the years 1975, 1990 and 2005 at a regional level. In this study, region refers to county. The results show that the accumulated stock of immigrants has a signifi cant impact for the immigrants’ settlement patterns for all studied years; dummies for big cities and industrial regions also show a statistically signifi cant impact for many of the studied immigrant groups for each studied year. Labour market variables, such as job vacancies, unemployment and employment, show little impact on the settlement patterns for most of the analysed immigrant groups.