Research usually points to where people first settle and how they move within a country. A new study by Marianne Tønnessen, Oslo Metropolitan University, in the PREMIUM_EU project shows that this picture is incomplete without accounting for emigration.
Drawing on register data for all immigrants who arrived in Norway between 2000 and 2013, the study follows individuals over their first ten years in the country. It demonstrates that emigration patterns differ markedly across immigrant categories and that emigration has played a meaningful role in reshaping the geographical distribution of immigrant populations in Norway.
The analysis shows that emigration is generally more common among immigrants living in urban areas. As a result, emigration has contributed to a de-urbanisation of the remaining immigrant population. At the same time, internal migration often works in the opposite direction, reinforcing urban concentration. Which of these processes dominates depends on the migrant group in question.
Other groups show different patterns. Refugees rarely emigrate, while more than half of Nordic migrants and education migrants had left Norway within ten years of arrival. These differences mean that emigration can have a particularly strong impact on population distribution for some groups, but not for others.
Importantly, the study underlines that emigration does not inherently lead to de-urbanisation. In principle, if emigration were more common in rural areas, it would instead contribute to a more urbanised remaining population. The Norwegian case illustrates how geographically selective emigration can shape regional outcomes, but the direction and magnitude of the effect will vary across national contexts.
By integrating international emigration with internal mobility, the article responds to calls for a more holistic approach to migration research. It shows that understanding regional population change requires attention not only to who arrives and who moves internally, but also to who leaves and from where.
Key insights
Emigration and internal migration affect immigrant settlement patterns in different, sometimes opposing, ways
Emigration rates vary strongly by immigrant category
In Norway, emigration is more common from urban areas, contributing to de-urbanisation of the remaining immigrant population
For some groups, emigration has a stronger effect on geographical distribution than internal migration
The impact of emigration is context-dependent and not inherently de-urbanising
This study contributes to PREMIUM_EU’s broader work on migration and regional development by highlighting how selective emigration can influence demographic and spatial outcomes. An important consideration for researchers and policymakers working with regional population change.
Read the full open-access article, published in the International Migration Review:
Authors and Collaborators:
Marianne Tønnessen, Oslo Metropolitan University
