Migrations like Any Other ? Internal Migrations of Immigrants in the French Countryside (2011-2015)

Julie Fromentin , Institut National d'Etudes Démographiques

A well-known feature of the demographic renewal of the French countryside is the settlement of international migrants. However, internal migrations of immigrants towards rural areas have been largely understudied. Through the study of census data (INSEE, 2013), this paper brings another perspective on the demography and geography of immigration in France, by analyzing internal migrations of immigrants in metropolitan France between 2011 and 2015, especially towards rural and suburban areas. It shows strong evidence that the movement of immigrants has been a key factor in the demographic growth of rural areas, especially through the process of suburbanization. The results reveal the similarities between immigrant and non-immigrant individuals who migrated towards the countryside (in terms of age, family situation and occupational categories); they also highlight several features which are specific to the situation of immigrants in rural areas.

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 Presented in Session P3. Poster Session Migration, Economics, Environment, Methods, History and Policy