Labor-market status, migrant status and first childbearing in Sweden

Background: Labor market uncertainties and employment insecurity have emerged as increasingly important factors in research on family formation and fertility. Objective: In the present study, we provide evidence from Sweden on how non-employment, unemployment, and temporary employment relate to young people’s first birth risks. Methods: We use a combination of Labor Force Survey data on employment characteristics and register data on demographic outcomes to investigate how the labor market status and stability of employment are associated with the first birth behavior of women and men, and of Swedish- and foreign-born people in Sweden. Results: Consistent with previous research, we find that people who are not in the labor force are less likely than those who are employed to enter parenthood. In most cases, we also find that young people who are in temporary employment are less likely than those who are permanently employed to start a family. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that foreign-born people living in Sweden tend to adapt to the behavior of native-born Swedes, and that patterns for women and men are largely similar. We relate these findings to the equalizing impact of the country’s universal welfare regime.