Who Are the Serial Movers? Sociodemographic Profiles and Reasons to Migrate to Switzerland Among Multiple International Migrants

Abstract

Previous research has deepened our understanding of the reasons that both push and pull individuals to leave a place to settle in a new country. However, little is known about individuals who have undertaken multiple international migrations. Based on the Migration-Mobility Survey data, this chapter explores both the migration trajectories and why frequent international movers have arrived in Switzerland. The chapter provides new insights about serial migrants in the European context and contributes to the literature by disentangling the relationships between multiple migrations and individual levels of qualification, origin, family composition, and aspirations to undertake a further migration. This research shows a strong association between level of education and degree of multiple migrations. It also demonstrates an important heterogeneity in migration practices between origins that can be explained not only by individual factors but also by institutional dimensions. In particular, short geographical and cultural distances contribute to reducing the number of international movements. Furthermore, non-EU migrants tend to be particularly mobile and to undertake stepwise trajectories to Switzerland.