Explaining Immigrant Integration: The Impact of Sending and Receiving Countries on Immigrants in Europe

Immigration is a politically contested issue across Western countries. Proponents and opponents alike cite the socioeconomic status of immigrants as well as the visibility of certain behaviors to support their position on the issue. Indeed, outcomes for immigrants are implicit in arguments for and against immigration, and the integration of immigrants is understood as important for the functioning of contemporary Western democracies. However, there are few comparative empirical analyses that show how institutional features of receiving countries—as well as the characteristics of sending countries—structure the experiences of immigrants in Europe. This paper combines data from five rounds of the European Social Survey (2002-2010), three rounds of the Migrant Policy Integration Index (2004, 2007, 2010), as well as data from the United Nations and the World Bank to explain outcomes for immigrants. Analyses will focus on five areas associated with integration: 1) trust in government and others; 2) educational attainment; 3) labor market participation; 4) civic and political participation; and 5) naturalization. Results will reveal the impact of receiving countries’ integration policies on immigrant integration, while controlling for the social and economic characteristics of sending countries.