Marriage Migration Versus Family Reunification: How Does the Marriage and Migration History Affectthe Timing of First and Second Childbirth Among Turkish Immigrants in Germany?

Katharina Wolf

doi:10.1007/s10680-016-9402-4

Abstract

Our study focuses on the fertility of first-generation female and male Turkish migrants in Germany. To evaluate whether timing effects such as fertility disruption or an interrelation of marriage, migration and childbirth occur, we examine first and second births in the years before and after immigration to Germany. The Turkish sample of the Generations and Gender Survey which was conducted in 2006 offers the unique opportunity to examine Turkish immigrants as a single immigrant category. We question the common understanding that Turkish immigrants who arrived to Germany after 1973 mainly arrived for family reunification resulting in high birth intensities immediately after immigration. To distinguish different circumstances under which male and female immigrants have arrived to Germany, we include the combined marriage and migration history of the couple. We find that first birth probabilities are elevated during the years immediately following migration. But this effect is not universal among migrants with different marriage and migration histories. It appears that the arrival effect of high birth intensities is particularly high among female immigrants and is evident only among marriage migrants, that is Turks who married a partner who already lived in Germany at the time of the wedding. By contrast, among those who immigrated for family reunification, we do not find such an arrival effect.

Highlights

Since the 1950s, net migration of foreigners to Germany has, on average, been positive (Statistisches Bundesamt 2014)
Our research questions are as follows: What is the relationship between first and second childbirth and the duration of stay in Germany among male and female Turkish immigrants? Are birth risks highest in the years preceding migration, in the years immediately after the move, or in the years that follow? And, how do fertility patterns differ by age at migration and are there differences between marriage migrants and those who migrated for family reunification? As our data source, we use the first wave of the German Generations and Gender Survey (GGS), which was conducted in 2006
There are two major categories of Turkish immigrants arriving under the family reunification law, namely those who were married before one of the partners migrated to Germany and who arrived to reunify with their spouse and, second, those who married a spouse already living in Germany and immigrated to Germany to join their spouse

Summary

Introduction

Since the 1950s, net migration of foreigners to Germany has, on average, been positive (Statistisches Bundesamt 2014). Instead of focusing on comparing migrant fertility with the fertility of Germans, this study is among the few that focuses in detail on migrant fertility only (see Schmid and Kohls 2009; Stichnoth and Yeter 2013) We follow this approach because it allows us to evaluate the impact of a number of migrationspecific indicators. Birth intensities were found to be high during the time immediately following migration among several migrant groups in Europe and the USA (Carter 2000; Lubke 2014; Milewski 2007; Toulemon 2004). To shed more light on different pathways of entering Germany and the effects on migrants’ fertility behaviour, we take into account the combined marriage and migration history of the couple and compare immigrants arriving for family reunification to those who come as marriage migrants

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Conclusion