IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/dem/demres/v47y2022i10.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multiple (il)legal pathways: The diversity of immigrants' legal trajectories in Belgium

Author

Listed:
  • Bruno Schoumaker

    (Université catholique de Louvain)

  • Mireille Le Guen

    (Université catholique de Louvain)

  • Louise Caron

    (Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED))

  • Wanli Nie

    (Université catholique de Louvain)

Abstract

Background: A growing number of primarily qualitative studies have shown that the legal trajectories of immigrants in Western countries are often complex. However, immigrants’ long-term legal trajectories remain a blind spot in quantitative migration research. Objective: This paper aims to provide new empirical insights into the variety of legal pathways among non-European immigrants who arrived in Belgium between 1999 and 2008. We build a typology of legal trajectories, and we investigate how these trajectories are related to immigrants’ country of origin, asylum status, and social ties in Belgium. Methods: The micro longitudinal data is from the Belgian National Register. We use sequence analysis to identify clusters of legal trajectories, and multinomial logistic regressions to explore how they are related to immigrants’ characteristics. Results: We identify seven types of legal trajectory. While some are simple and smooth, others are characterized by moves back and forth between legal statuses and frequent periods of irregularity. Immigrants from the least developed countries and rejected asylum seekers are more likely to experience slow and chaotic trajectories. By contrast, simple and short trajectories are more common among immigrants from higher- or middle-income countries. We also find that social and family ties are a key factor in long-term immigrants experiencing smooth legal trajectories. Conclusions: Legal statuses vary substantially over time, and trajectories differ widely among immigrants. Some categories of immigrants are more at risk of highly precarious long-term trajectories that may lead to situations of ‘permanent temporariness’. Contribution: The paper highlights the relevance of a quantitative longitudinal perspective on immigrants’ legal status and underlines the need to take into account not only the legal status upon arrival but also the complexity of legal trajectories during the stay in the destination country.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno Schoumaker & Mireille Le Guen & Louise Caron & Wanli Nie, 2022. "Multiple (il)legal pathways: The diversity of immigrants' legal trajectories in Belgium," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 47(10), pages 247-290.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:47:y:2022:i:10
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2022.47.10
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol47/10/47-10.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.4054/DemRes.2022.47.10?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joop Beer & James Raymer & Rob Erf & Leo Wissen, 2010. "Overcoming the Problems of Inconsistent International Migration data: A New Method Applied to Flows in Europe [Surmonter les problèmes d’incohérences des données sur les migrations internationales:," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 26(4), pages 459-481, November.
    2. Christian Dustmann & Joseph-Simon Görlach, 2016. "The Economics of Temporary Migrations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 54(1), pages 98-136, March.
    3. Patrick Cloos & Elhadji Malick Ndao & Josephine Aho & Magalie Benoît & Amandine Fillol & Maria Munoz-Bertrand & Marie-Jo Ouimet & Jill Hanley & Valéry Ridde, 2020. "The negative self-perceived health of migrants with precarious status in Montreal, Canada: A cross-sectional study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, April.
    4. Michael Bernabé Aguilera, 2002. "The Impact of Social Capital on Labor Force Participation: Evidence from the 2000 Social Capital Benchmark Survey," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 83(3), pages 853-874, September.
    5. Mathias Czaika & Hein de Haas, 2017. "The Effect of Visas on Migration Processes," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 893-926, December.
    6. Jasso, Guillermina & Wadhwa, Vivek & Gereffi, Gary & Rissing, Ben & Freeman, Richard Barry, 2010. "How Many Highly Skilled Foreign-Born are Waiting in Line for U.S. Legal Permanent Residence?," Scholarly Articles 32095399, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    7. Mathias Czaika & Hein De Haas, 2013. "The Effectiveness of Immigration Policies," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 39(3), pages 487-508, September.
    8. Andrea Monti & Sven Drefahl & Eleonora Mussino & Juho Härkönen, 2020. "Over-coverage in population registers leads to bias in demographic estimates," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 74(3), pages 451-469, September.
    9. Erik Vickstrom, 2014. "Pathways into Irregular Status Among Senegalese Migrants in Europe," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 1062-1099, December.
    10. Mao-Mei Liu, 2013. "Migrant Networks and International Migration: Testing Weak Ties," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(4), pages 1243-1277, August.
    11. Gabadinho, Alexis & Ritschard, Gilbert & Müller, Nicolas S & Studer, Matthias, 2011. "Analyzing and Visualizing State Sequences in R with TraMineR," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 40(i04).
    12. Piore,Michael J., 1980. "Birds of Passage," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521280587, November.
    13. Sorana Toma & Sophie Vause, 2014. "Gender Differences in the Role of Migrant Networks: Comparing Congolese and Senegalese Migration Flows," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 972-997, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kuhnt, Jana, 2019. "Literature review: drivers of migration. Why do people leave their homes? Is there an easy answer? A structured overview of migratory determinants," IDOS Discussion Papers 9/2019, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    2. Fernando Riosmena, 2016. "The Potential and Limitations of Cross-Context Comparative Research on Migration," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 666(1), pages 28-45, July.
    3. Mao-Mei Liu & Mathew J. Creighton & Fernando Riosmena & Pau Baizan, 2016. "Prospects for the comparative study of international migration using quasi-longitudinal micro-data," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(26), pages 745-782.
    4. Manchin, Miriam & Orazbayev, Sultan, 2018. "Social networks and the intention to migrate," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 360-374.
    5. Burzyński, Michał, 2018. "Time, Space, And Skills In Designing Migration Policy," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 84(4), pages 355-417, December.
    6. Di Iasio, Valentina & Wahba, Jackline, 2023. "Expecting Brexit and UK migration: Should I go?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    7. Sarma Nayantara, 2021. "Queuing to leave: A new approach to immigration," IZA Journal of Development and Migration, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-29, January.
    8. Hammoud-Gallego, Omar, 2024. "The short-term effects of visa restrictions on migrants’ legal status and well-being: A difference-in-differences approach on Venezuelan displacement," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    9. Simone Cremaschi & Carlo Devillanova, 2016. "Immigrants and Legal Status: Do Personal Contacts Matter?," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 1629, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    10. Guichard, Lucas & Machado, Joël, 2024. "The Externalities of Immigration Policies on Migration Flows: The Case of an Asylum Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 16935, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Hammoud Gallego, Omar, 2024. "The short-term effects of visa restrictions on migrants’ legal status and well-being: a difference-in-differences approach on Venezuelan displacement," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 124093, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Marcel Raab & Emanuela Struffolino, 2020. "The Heterogeneity of Partnership Trajectories to Childlessness in Germany," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(1), pages 53-70, March.
    13. Zhang, Cheng & Weng, Xiyan, 2024. "Can broadband infrastructure construction promote equality of opportunity? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China☆," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    14. Baccar, Mariem & Raynal, Hélène & Sekhar, Muddu & Bergez, Jacques-Eric & Willaume, Magali & Casel, Pierre & Giriraj, P. & Murthy, Sanjeeva & Ruiz, Laurent, 2023. "Dynamics of crop category choices reveal strategies and tactics used by smallholder farmers in India to cope with unreliable water availability," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    15. David Autor & David Dorn & Gordon Hanson, 2025. "Trading Places: Mobility Responses of Native- and Foreign-Born Adults to the China Trade Shock," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 78(1), pages 10-36, January.
    16. Michel Beine & Ilan Noy & Christopher Parsons, 2021. "Climate change, migration and voice," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 1-27, July.
    17. Martin D Munk & Till Nikolka & Panu Poutvaara, 2022. "International family migration and the dual-earner model [On the origin of gender roles: women and the plough]," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 22(2), pages 263-287.
    18. Zachary Van Winkle & Anette Fasang, 2021. "The complexity of employment and family life courses across 20th century Europe: More evidence for larger cross-national differences but little change across 1916‒1966 birth cohorts," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(32), pages 775-810.
    19. Gainbi Park & Zengwang Xu, 2022. "The constituent components and local indicator variables of social vulnerability index," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 110(1), pages 95-120, January.
    20. Tiwari, Smriti, 2021. "Do macroeconomic fluctuations at destination matter in determining migrants’ return decisions?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    trajectories; immigration; Belgium; sequence analysis; population register; integration; legal status;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:47:y:2022:i:10. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Editorial Office (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.demogr.mpg.de/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.