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Abstract
This study takes advantage of a unique body of data of exceptionally good quality to examine the fertility trends, levels, and differentials of five guestworker populations residing in the Federal Republic of Germany. The effects of migrant selectivity and assimilation on migrant fertility behavior are explored. Using vital statistics data on births by nationality and age of mother, special tabulations of the annual German microcensus, and data from the decennial censuses and German population register, current and cumulative fertility of five foreign migrant groups (Greeks, Italians, Spanish, Turks, and Yugoslavs) is estimated for the 1961-1981 period and compared to native-German fertility and fertility in the home countries. The impact of changes in nuptiality patterns and marital and non-marital fertility trends on overall migrant fertility levels are investigated.
The selectivity of migrants from the country of origin according to age, sex, marital status, and region of origin in country of origin is examined in relation to migrant fertility levels. Standardization techniques are employed to eliminate the effects of differing age, sex, and marital compositions of the migrant populations when comparing their fertility to the home country populations or to native German fertility.
Four variables associated with migrant assimilation at the destination--duration of residence; knowledge of German language; family reunification in Germany; and intermarriage to Germans--are examined in relation to guestworker fertility levels and trends.
Migration selectivity from the country of origin and migrant assimilation at the country of destination are seen as competing processes which affect migrant fertility behavior.
The results of this analysis indicate that the fertility of most migrant groups is rapidly converging toward the German level, although Turkish migrant total fetility was still two and a half times higher than native German fertility in 1981. It appears that by 1980 the marital fertility rates of Greek, Spanish, and Yugoslav women living in Germany had achieved convergence with native German marital fertility.
In the analysis of the effects of regional selectivity on migrant fertility it was found that most of the fertility differential between the Turkish and Italian migrant groups and their respective home country populations is eliminated once we standardize for region of origin composition of the migrants.
Available evidence indicates that guestworker fertility is inversely related to duration of residence in Germany and knowledge of the German language, at least for the migrant groups examined.
