Immigrant-Native Exogamy in Sweden: A Longitudinal Study of the Determinants of Intermarriage among Immigrants, 1990-2005

Martin Dribe, Lund University
Christer Lundh, Goteborgs Universitet

Intermarriage with natives is often seen as a key to immigrant assimilation. Previous research has dealt mostly with North America and Australia and has been based on cross-section data. In this paper, intermarriage between immigrants and natives is studied for more than 30 immigrant groups in Sweden using longitudinal individual-level data from the population registers. We analyze the total population residing in Sweden anytime between 1990 and 2005 and born between 1942 and 1989. Data on income and employment status are available on a yearly basis throughout the period. In addition we include standard human capital variables, such as gender, age, level and field of education, and time since immigration, as well as variables reflecting the situation in the local labor market (unemployment rate, employment rate). Preliminary results show that better-educated immigrants who spend more time in Sweden before marriage are more likely to marry natives.