Voting with Their Feet by Staying? The Political Drivers of Noncitizens' (Im-)mobility

Abstract

While research documents that some migrants leave their country of origin for political reasons, we do not know how the political factors in the host-country matter to explain immigrants' (im-)mobility behaviours after an initial migration. Addressing this gap, this study explores noncitizens' (im-)mobility responses to regional integration policies. Building on the evidence that inclusive policies foster immigrants' ties to the host-country over time, the paper argues that effective exposure to inclusive policies decreases inter-cantonal and international mobility, i.e. increases noncitizens' immobility. To test this, we run multilevel analyses using STATPOP register data on the entire immigrant resident population of Switzerland, and cantonal integration policy data. Findings reveal that inclusive policies do indeed amplify the sedentary effect of time spent in Switzerland, and, thus, increase noncitizens' immobility. This pattern holds true for international and inter-cantonal mobility, and is most pronounced among vulnerable immigrants, i.e. non-EU citizens holding a less-stable legal permit.