Classification of Matilde Regions. Spatial Specificities and Third Country Nationals Distribution

This report provides an overview of the processes of immigration in European rural and mountain areas, i.e. labour, forced, student, family and amenity/lifestyle migration.

For this purpose, Section A presents a literature review of migration studies from various disciplines of the social sciences, e.g. demography, economy, geography, sociology and regional studies. Section A further presents the prevailing immigration processes, including a diachronic perspective, as well as the framework for the description of MATILDE regions based on socio-economic, socio-demographic and territorial indicators. Finally, MATILDE regions are portrayed in terms of immigration of TCNs and spatial characteristics.

In Section B, country and regional profiles are provided. As a basis for understanding current developments in MATILDE regions, for each region, the relevance of immigration phenomena and specific migration and integration policies in a given MATILDE country are presented from a historical perspective. Then, demographic, economic and migration-related developments in MATILDE regions are illustrated by means of a collection of statistical data from EUROSTAT and National Statistical Offices.

As a conclusion, in Section C, patterns of immigration of TCNs to MATILDE countries and regions are classified in light of wider structural transformations.