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Beyond Convergence: Challenges in a New Land and the Depressed Fertility Among Migrant Descendants

Author(s): José Luis Estévez, Anna Rotkirch

Thursday 15  |   9:00-9:20

Room: TP45

Session: Parenting in the Nordic countries

This study uses administrative registers to investigate the patterns of parenthood initiation among different groups of migrant descendants in Finland. Discrete-time logistic models reveal a pattern characterized by a higher likelihood of transition into parenthood for 1.5-generation migrants originating from high-fertility backgrounds compared to their native-born counterparts. This transition likelihood aligns closer with that of native-born individuals for the second generation and undergoes a reversal for the 2.5 generation (individuals born in Finland with a mixed migrant-native background) [see Figure 1]. We also conduct mediation analyses to investigate the influences of education and partnership status [see Figure 2]. The findings indicate that while higher education levels foster parenthood initiation for men, the impact is comparatively weaker for migrant descendants. Additionally, while the absence of a partner acts as a significant deterrent for parenthood, affecting both men and women, this effect is stronger for migrant descendants compared to their native-born counterparts. Based on the observed patterns, we conclude that challenges in the local partnership market, coupled with what seems a need of larger investment in their professional careers for men, may offset the impact of cultural influences, offering an explanation for the puzzle of "depressed fertility" noted among migrant descendants in Finland and other contexts.