Measuring migrant integration in the nineties: The contribution of field surveys in Italy

In Italy, field surveys have been an essential tool for knowledge on immigration, since this phenomenon first started in the early 1980s. Great attention has been paid to the sampling procedures to be used for a basically unknown or unidentified reference population. This contribution describes the main features of this process, in particular, with reference to field surveys that are more focused on the quantitative aspects of immigration. The paper concentrates on the outcomes of two specific and relatively recent surveys: the one conducted in 1997 by the IRP-CNR on a national sample of Ghanaian and Egyptian immigrants, and a second one conducted in Rome in 2001 by "La Sapienza" University of Rome on Filipinos, Moroccans, Peruvians and Romanians. The results of first survey highlighted the relevance of the duration of the stay in determining the outcomes of immigration, particularly in terms of integration in the receiving country. The survey has likewise shown the differences of models, projects and intentions characterising the variegated world of immigration. In the second survey, the duration of stay in Italy remains the core variable in defining the living conditions of immigrants. In fact, the longer is the period of stay, the more the level of integration improves and the percentage of irregulars decreases. From the employment point of view, compared to the other three communities, Filipinos appear to be rather well off (they have been in Italy for a number of years, with a much lower percentage of illegal immigrants). However, Filipinos (particularly women) record the highest rate of occupational segregation. Surveys collected specific and analytical information on important aspects of immigrants'life that are not provided by the available official sources.