More emigrants among 2nd generation, but often returning

Around one in three of the emigrants who were born in the Netherlands belong to the second generation, although the latter group holds a much smaller share in the total population of the Netherlands (11 percent in 2017). For the survey ‘Emigration by second-generation migrants’, CBS mapped the emigration patterns of people with a second-generation background between 1995 and 2017. These are people who were born in the Netherlands between 1980 and 1999.

Second-generation Somali emigrating most often

Within the second-generation group, people with a Somali migration background were most likely to leave the Netherlands: 80 percent. At slightly over 10 percent, this share was lowest among migrants with a Surinamese background. Native Dutch people emigrated even less often: 6 percent left the Netherlands between 1995 and 2017.

Second-generation Turks, Moroccans and Surinamese mainly leaving after the age of 18

There are considerable differences between the various migration backgrounds in terms of the age at which the second generation emigrate. For example, 96 percent of Somali people of the second generation emigrated before they had turned 18. Second-generation Moroccans and Surinamese, on the other hand, emigrated relatively often at the age of 18 or over, with a share of around 70 percent each. This indicates that emigration is more often their own decision, rather than their parents’ choice.

Neighbouring countries popular among adults

It is often assumed that second-generation migrants leave the Netherlands to live in their parents’ country of origin. Apart from people with a Somali or Chinese background, this appears to be especially the case for migrants who emigrate as children with their parents; at least half of those emigrating as children have their parents' country of origin as their destination. Among Antillean and Turkish second-generation migrants, this even holds true for more than 80 percent of all outward migration.

Adult second-generation are more likely to move to other countries, with our neighbouring countries in particular being popular destinations. Approximately 80 percent of all outward migration by second-generation Moroccans and Surinamese with a known destination has a different destination than the parents’ country of birth. The country of destination for these groups is relatively often unknown. It is therefore possible that the share of emigrants moving to the parents’ country of origin is higher in reality.

Emigration temporary in most cases

In many cases, emigration not permanent. Of all groups in the survey population, at least half of the adult second generation returned to the Netherlands within six years. People with a Surinamese or Moroccan migration background were the first to remigrate: over 80 percent had returned within six years. British or Belgian second-generation migrants return least quickly.

Just like native Dutch people, the second generation were born and (partially) raised in the Netherlands. This connection with the Netherlands may explain why second-generation emigration is often temporary, as is the case for people with a native Dutch background.