Family ties: How family reunification can impact migrant integration

This chapter investigates if migrants’ long‑term integration outcomes are affected by delays in family reunification. The integration outcomes of both principal migrants and the spouses who reunite with them are considered. The chapter provides new empirical evidence for a range of OECD countries and discusses potential reasons why delays in family reunification influence integration outcomes such as wages, employment, and language proficiency. It also explores the effect that age at arrival can have on the integration outcomes of migrant children as well as the role played by the presence of migrants’ parents. The chapter concludes by highlighting implications for policies regulating family reunification.This work was supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.