A Stratified Right to Family (Re)Unification : Evidence on the Differential Effects of Admission Policies on Rates of Family Immigration in European states, 2008–2019

• This study investigates whether and how much family-immigration policies have influenced patterns of family immigration in European states. Family immigration has been the largest category of entry in many Western countries in recent decades, and it has been the subject of increasing contestation in political debates. While research on family-migration policies has advanced in recent years, no comprehensive cross-country comparisons have been done of the impact of different policies on the size and composition of family-immigrant inflows. This study addresses this gap, by analysing the connection between admission policies and rates of family immigration in 31 European states during the 2008–2019 period. Combining data from Eurostat and the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX), this study uses a time-series regression analysis to assess the effects of admission policies on different types of family-related immigration. While restrictive admission policies have led to falling overall levels of family immigration, the analysis here reveals stratifying implications, whereby the effect have been greater where the sponsor is a non-EU citizen than where he/she is an EU citizen. An interaction analysis, moreover, shows that restrictive admission policies have a greater impact on family-immigration rates in countries with comparatively large immigrant populations. By providing evidence on the differential and conditional impacts of admission policies on family-related immigration, this study contributes new insights on the effects of restrictive immigration policies.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Statsvetenskap -- Statsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Political Science -- Political Science (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Family migration

Admission policies

Stratification

European countries

Time-series cross-country analysis

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)