Leaving the parental home among children of immigrants in France

Francesca Tosi, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna
Giulia Ferrari , Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Ariane Pailhé, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Ognjen Obucina, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)

Previous studies have shown that home-leaving behavior of children of immigrants is delayed and more constrained with respect to native population. This paper investigates whether the process of leaving parental home differs between children of immigrants from several countries and natives in France. We focus not only on the timing of home-leaving behavior, but also on the prevalence of the three possible destinations: a competing risks approach is implemented to compare odds to leave for direct marriage, unmarried cohabitation or independent living. In particular, we analyze whether these differences could be ascribed to structural factors and/or cultural factors. Findings indicate the existence of significant discrepancies between children of immigrants and the mainstream population: they show lower odds to leave the parental home, they delay this process and they prefer direct marriage to cohabitation and independent living. These relationships are particularly true for children of immigrants from Turkey and daughters of immigrants from Maghreb, and only partially true for children of Southern Europeans, who look more similar to natives.

See extended abstract

 Presented in Session 82. Migrant Populations, Family Life and Gender