Children in Immigrant Families in Eight Affluent Countries: Their family, national and international context

During recent decades most affluent countries have experienced large increases in the number and diversity of immigrants, and accordingly it is anticipated that children in immigrant families will play an increasing role in these societies. However, while their social, economic and civic integration is of critical policy relevance, there is little statistical evidence available on this segment of the population. The study helps to fill the knowledge gap by presenting internationally comparable statistics on children in immigrant families in eight affluent countries – Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The analysis examines family composition, educational background, language, educational and employment status of parents, housing conditions, school and labour market participation and poverty status, among other dimensions, identifying disparities between the situation of these children and that of native-born children. The report calls for policies that facilitate integration and social inclusion of children in immigrant families, focusing particularly on those from low- and middle-income countries who often face greater challenges in assimilation