Migration flow across Öresund
After the opening of the Öresund Bridge, the number of migrants across Öresund increased sharply and it was clear that Danes from Öresund DK began to move to the Swedish side of Öresund.
The most important motive for the Danes to move to Öresund SE has been the possibility to find more suitable and cheaper housing. Other important reasons include the lower cost of living and the less stringent rules for the immigration of relatives in Sweden. The more affordable housing of a high standard in Öresund SE (and usually in Malmö) is for most people combined with the attractive and well-paid job they still have in Öresund DK (and then often in Copenhagen). In this way, the migration flow of the Danes to Öresund SE started the commuting wave from Öresund SE to Öresund DK. However, housing prices have probably had a much greater influence in migration patterns. Thus we can see that the wide gap between the high prices of housing in the Capital Region of Denmark and the low prices of housing in Region Skåne culminated in 2007. The migration pattern followed the same course as the price difference.
The figure shows extra cost for a one- or two-dwelling building in Capital Region of Denmark compared to Öresund SE (Euro per square meter) and migration net from Capital Region of Denmark to Öresund SE.- Migration flows across Öresund 1998–2009
Source: Örestat. Estimated figures for 2009.
- Price difference of dwellings compared to the migration surplus 1998–2009
Source: Association of Danish Mortgage Banks, Värderingsdata AB and Örestat. Estimated figures for extra cost and number of moves in 2009.
- Number of moves from Öresund DK to Öresund SE, by migrant’s country of birth
Number of moves from Öresund SE to Öresund DK by migrant’s country of birth.
- Number of moves from Öresund SE to Öresund DK by migrant’s country of birth
Source: Örestat
Where do the migration flows come from and where do they go?
A large part of the migration flow across Öresund is concentrated to the two large cities of Copenhagen and Malmö. Of the approximately 3 200 moves in 2009 (preliminary figures) that were made from Öresund DK to Öresund SE, 44 percent alone were from the municipality of Copenhagen. That percentage has only increased slightly. In relation to the total migration from Copenhagen, moves from Öresund SE only amounted to a modest 3 percent in 2008. The migration flow to Öresund SE has been especially marked by many first time movers across Öresund, and those movers have come mainly to Malmö. Before the Öresund Bridge opened, only 40 percent of the movers from Öresund DK to Öresund SE settled in Malmö, but in recent years over 60 percent of the movers chose Malmö. In relation to the total migration to Malmö from the rest of the Öresund region and Sweden, migration from Öresund DK accounted for all of 9 percent in 2008.
The migration flow from Öresund SE to Öresund DK has increased later and more slowly, and is expected to reach 2 800 in 2009. A sharp rise in numbers of those moving back to Öresund DK is thus going on now, since more than half of the movers were born in Denmark. Among the movers returning are also a number of Danish people’s children who were born in Öresund SE. Even this migration flow is highly concentrated to Malmö and Copenhagen. Among those moving from Öresund SE to Öresund DK, 63 percent are from Malmö. Of those movers from Öresund SE to Öresund DK, 41 percent settle in Copenhagen. Consequently, part of the migration flow returns to Copenhagen. When looking at the result of the migration flow across Öresund for the two metropolitan municipalities, Malmö has received a net of nearly 9 000 migrants from Öresund DK from 2001 to 2009, while the net during the same period is more than 5 000 persons who have moved from Copenhagen to Öresund SE.
The city of Malmö conducted a questionnaire survey among the 2 000 adult migrants from Denmark in 2006. The survey showed that lower housing costs and higher housing standards were the main reasons for moving, and 95 percent were happy with their choice of housing. While 39 percent lived in a jointly owned or tenant owned flat in Denmark before moving, 84 percent did so after the move to Malmö. The percentage of those who lived in dwellings with three or more rooms increased from 54 to 70 percent. Among the Danish migrants, 85 percent kept their jobs in Denmark, and 59 percent of them drove their cars across the Öresund Bridge. Around 75 percent of these people had less than one hour’s travel time between their homes and their workplace.
Partly due to the Danish rules for immigration of relatives that were introduced in 2002, the number of emigrants from non-western countries from Denmark to Sweden has increased. In 2001 persons born in Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa comprised 3 percent of all who moved from Öresund DK to Öresund SE, but since 2003 this figure has been about 10 percent.
Age of those who move
Those who move across Öresund are typically 25-34 years old and the age distribution has not shifted upwards much since 2001. However, a slight shift has occurred in that relatively more small children under age five and somewhat more 30-34 year olds move.
Regardless of whether a person moves from Öresund DK to Öresund SE or in the opposite direction, those who do move are somewhat the same age, even though there are slightly more people aged 35-64 among those who move to the west, than the among the ones that move eastward.
Danes who move back from Öresund SE are young people with several children, but those who move to Öresund SE are either very young or belong to the somewhat older age groups. And in reverse, Swedes who move to Öresund DK are more often aged 16-24 than those Swedes who move back from Öresund DK. Migrants from countries other than Denmark and Sweden are often younger when they move from Öresund SE to Öresund DK than when they move in the other direction.
During the years 2007-2009 the migration activity across Öresund has been unchanged with about 6 000 moves per year, and as mentioned earlier, fewer persons move eastward and more move back to the west. The migration surplus from Öresund DK to Öresund SE was nearly non-existent in 2009 and was about 400 persons. Also, for the first time ever it is expected that more families with children in 2009 move westward than eastward (compare figures for 25-34 year olds and 0-5 year olds).
More men than women move across Öresund, especially from Öresund DK to Öresund SE, and the migration surplus to Öresund SE (migration net) is greatest for men. During the first years after 2000, men were a little quicker than women to move from Öresund DK to Öresund SE, but after a few years the number of women also rose sharply. In 2008, 40 percent of the movers were women.
In the migration flow from Öresund SE after the year 2000, men were also the quickest to move, but several years later there was a relative increase of women moving to Öresund DK. In 2008, 45 percent of the movers were women. However, among the increasing but relatively modest number of Swedish citizens who moved to Öresund DK, 54 percent were women.- Öresund migrants by age (percent)
Source: Örestat
- Migrants from Öresund DK to Öresund SE by nationality and age. (percent)
Source: Örestat
