In terms of re-migration among international migrants, knowledge of how intention relates to actual behaviour remains scarce, as intention and behaviour are largely separated in the literature. In this paper we examine the extent to which intentions might predict actual behaviour, compare their main determinants, and analyse what factors are related to the realization (or not) of re-migration intentions. The data is comprised of a unique linkage of survey data on foreign-born individuals’ future mobility intentions, combined with prospective, high-quality register data from Sweden. Our findings show that intention is a poor proxy of re-migration behaviour, especially after a long time at the destination. Whilst social and economic destination country attachments are relevant for explaining both intention and behaviour, origin country ties are mostly related to re-migration intentions. Moreover, we show that realizing intentions of both staying and leaving the destination country is hindered by unemployment and economic difficulties.
Funding
the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working life and Welfare (FORTE), grant numbers: 2016-07105 and 2018-00310
History
ISSN
2002-617X
Original title
Did they stay or did they go: The role of intention behind re-migration behaviour
Original language
English
Publication date
2021-02-23
Affiliation (institution of first SU-affiliated author)
310 Sociologiska institutionen | Department of Sociology