Dora Sampaio (2022). Migration, Diversity and Inequality in Later Life: Ageing at a Crossroads

Abstract

What aspires ageing migrants to spend their later life in a foreign land? Indeed, as of June 2019, over 32 million migrants globally are aged 65 and above, accounting for 12% of the total migrant population (IOM 2022). The median age and the proportion of overseas-born residents aged 55 and above have gradually increased, as the median age of migrants was 39 in 2019 (UN 2019:27), and major host countries like Finland and Portugal reported that more than half of the increase in migrant populations were contributed by older generations (Ciobanu et al. 2017: 164). So what motivates seasoned generations to age away from their homeland in spite of uncertainties of resources and opportunities to support themselves through employment, social care, community engagement, and a renewed sense of belonging?