BACKGROUND
The fertility of immigrants and their descendants is a crucial determinant of population dynamics, particularly where migrants are numerous and ethnically diverse, as in Switzerland. This paper analyses the transition to the first and second births of immigrants and their descendants and compares them with each other and with the native population.
METHODS
Using survival analysis and drawing on data from the Family and Generation Survey (FGS-2013), we disaggregate the fertility indicators of intensity and timing by ethnic minority and by birth order, controlling for a variety of sociodemographic characteristics.
RESULTS
Our results show that while there is no substantive difference in the probability and timing of first births between immigrants, their descendants, and Swiss natives, first- generation immigrants become parents younger and more often. Quite unexpectedly, we found that for migrants a second child is less frequent and comes after a longer birth interval than for Swiss natives, independently of whether or not they are born in Switzerland.