Eurostat Some provisional definitions of circular migration for statistical purposes Giampaolo LANZIERI International Workshop on Methodological Challenges

Eurostat

Some provisional definitions of circular migration for statistical purposes

Giampaolo LANZIERI

International Workshop on Methodological Challenges for the Study of Return and Circular Migration - TEMPER

Eurostat

How to identify circular migration?

• Intuitive concept, but difficult to make it operational• Various dimensions:

• Repetition: how many migration segments needed?• Directionality: country of origin/destination?• Duration: time threshold?• Purpose: labour-related?• Status: only legal/managed migration?• Other policy/social dimensions (developmental

impact, etc.)• …

TEMPER Workshop, Madrid, 22 January 2015

G. Lanzieri - Provisional definitions circular migration

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Eurostat

Additional issues

• Definition/limitation of circular migration as for:• Simple vs. complex patterns• Starting point of the 'circularity'• Time width of reference

• Applicability of 'mirror criteria'• Number of circular emigrants to B measured in A should equal the

number of circular immigrants from A measured in B

• 'Sustainability' of the data collection• Possibly no additional burden, readily available, minimum costs,

possibility of regular production, etc..

• Nesting in official migration statistics? Implications for:• Concept of residence (usual residence)• Time criterion (12 months)• Actual/intended stay

• Difficulty for information on migration history and destinationsTEMPER Workshop, Madrid, 22 January 2015


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Eurostat

Definition by the EMN

• From the European Migration Network (Asylum and Migration Glossary, 2012:121):• Circular migration is a repetition of legal

migration by the same person between two or more countries.

• Mainly targeting Third-Country Nationals



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Eurostat

An on-going work

• UNECE Task Force on 'Measuring Circular Migration':• approved by the Bureau of the Conference of

European Statisticians in early 2013• 2 years duration• 15 members: NSOs, national policy makers and

international organizations (including Eurostat)• to propose a common international statistical

definition of circular migration (among other things)• report under preparation / several definitions

discussed



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Eurostat

Some preliminary considerations

• If data on circular migration are nested in (Eurostat) official migration statistics:• Any migration is a change of country of usual residence• The duration of (actual or intended) stay is at least 12

months• There is no reference to purpose or legal status or any

additional criteria• National border-crossings within the EU are international

migrations• On annual basis, the number of circular migrants is equal

to the number of circular migrations (identity event = person experiencing the event)

• Circular migrants are a subset of migrants and they could be tabulated as suchTEMPER Workshop,

Madrid, 22 January 2015


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Eurostat

Provisional proposals by Eurostat/1

• Circular immigrant is:• a foreign-born person who has immigrated more

than once to the same country (over the latest ten years?). (NOTE: implicitly, the duration of each stay in the country is of at least one year); or

• a person who has immigrated more than once to the same country (over the latest ten years?). Data on circular immigrants should preferably be broken down by country of birth and by country of origin.

• Similar for short-term circular immigrants, duration of stay in the country between 3 and 12 months



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Eurostat


• Circular emigrant is:• a native-born person who has emigrated more than

once from the same country (over the latest ten years?). (NOTE: implicitly, the duration of each stay abroad is of at least one year); or

• a person who has emigrated more than once from the same country (over the latest ten years?). Data on circular emigrants should preferably be broken down by country of birth and by country of destination.

• Similar for short-term circular emigrants, with duration of stay abroad between 3 and 12 months



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Eurostat


• From the point of view of the event:• Circular immigration is a repeated immigration by the

same foreign-born person (over a period of 10 years?).• Circular emigration is a repeated emigration by the

same native-born person (over a period of 10 years?).

• Alternatively:• Circular migration is a repeated migration by the same

person (over a period of 10 years?), where the country of origin and/or of destination are/is the same.

• Similar for short-term circular migration, with duration between 3 and 12 months



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Eurostat


• Introducing the concept of loop:• Circular migration is (defined as) a series of at least two

migration loops made by the same person. • The loop is composed by a sequence of moves with international

border crossings and where the duration of stay in each country is of at least 12 months.

• A single loop is (defined as) 'return migration'.

• It focuses on start-end cycles:a) from the reporting countryb) from an 'origin'

• Not yet defined how to deal with intermediate steps:a) Once considered circular, all successive steps are also circularb) It is considered circular only at completed loops



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Eurostat

Provisional conceptual definitions by UNECE Task Force

• Circular migration is a sequence of international moves where at least two countries are lived in more than once by the same person..• 1a) …to take up temporary or permanent residence;

(or)• 2a) …and where the person has been living each time

for more than three months in those countries; (or)• 2b) …and where the person has been living each time

for at least twelve months in those countries

• Like 2b for short-term circular migration, but with duration between 3 and 12 months



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Eurostat

Provisional operational definitions by UNECE Task Force

• 3.a) A circular immigrant is a person who has immigrated more than once to the same country (over the latest ten years).

• 3.c) A circular emigrant is a person who has emigrated more than once from the same country (over the latest ten years).

• Similar for short-term circular migration, i.e. between 3-12 months



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Eurostat

Ex: simple patterns, person born in A

Classification at last migration

in country:

Using only entries/exits Using also country of birth Using loops from origin

A B A B A B

A-B-A I E I E I E

A-B-A-B CE CI CE CI E I

A-B-A-B-A CI CE I E CI CE

A-B-A-B-A-B CE CI CE CI E I

A-B-A-B-A-B-A CI CE I E CI CE

A-B-A-B-A-B-A-B CE CI CE CI E I



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Legend: I=immigrant; E=emigrant; CI=circular immigrant; CE=circular emigrantLoops: only completed cycles from selected origin A; full knowledge since A including next destination

Eurostat

Slightly more complex patterns…

Classification at last

migr.in country:


A B C A B C A B C

A-B-C-A I X E I X E I X E

A-B-C-B X CI E X CI E X I E

A-B-C-A-B CE CI X CE CI X E I X

A-B-C-B-A I CE X I E X I E X

A-B-C-A-C CE X CI CE X CI E X I

A-B-C-B-C X CE CI X E CI X E I



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Legend: I=immigrant; E=emigrant; CI=circular immigrant; CE=circular emigrant; X=not involvedLoops: only completed cycles from selected origin A; full knowledge since A including next destination

Eurostat

…and further complicated patterns

Classification at last migr.in country:


A B C A B C A B C

A-B-C-A-B-C X CE CI X E CI X E I

A-B-C-A-B-C-A CI X CE I X E CI X CE

A-B-C-B-C-B-A I CE X I E X I E XA-B-C-A-B-C-A-B CE CI X CE CI X E I X

…



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Legend: I=immigrant; E=emigrant; CI=circular immigrant; CE=circular emigrant; X=not involvedLoops: only completed cycles from selected origin A; full knowledge since A including next destination

Eurostat

Some references

• On the work of the UNECE Task Force:• Schachter, J. (2013): "Task Force on Measuring Circular

Migration: A Progress Report". Presentation at the Eurostat Working Group on Population Statistics, Luxembourg, 16-17 December 2013.

• Bustos, A. et al. (2014): "A Collective Attempt at Defining Circular Migration". Paper for the Work Session on Migration Statistics, Chisinau, 10-12 September 2014.

• European Migration Network:• (2011): "Temporary and Circular Migration: empirical

evidence, current policy practice and future options in EU Member States"

• (2012): "Asylum and Migration Glossary 2.0"TEMPER Workshop, Madrid, 22 January 2015


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THANK YOU FOR THE ATTENTION!

For any further information: [email protected]



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Documents

Eurostat Some provisional definitions of circular migration for statistical purposes Giampaolo LANZIERI International Workshop on Methodological Challenges