The Rockwool Research Foundation has published a working paper by Marie Louise Schultz-Nielsen, comparing the patterns of education and marriage between three groups of young people aged 18-32 over the last 25 years (1994-2018).

Group 1 comprised ethnic Danes; Group 2 comprised first generation individuals with a non-Western minority background; Group 3 comprised second generation with a non-Western minority background. All three groups have been raised in Denmark, either having been born in the country or having arrived before the age of 15.

The paper is based on data from Statistics Denmark, and forms the first part of a larger project examining marriage, education and work among ethnic minorities. A qualitative interview study will also be launched, followed by a data analysis of whether changes in education patterns are caused by changes in the marriage patterns.

The study finds that great changes have taken place for the two ethnic minority groups during this period, bringing them much closer to the patterns of the ethnic Danish group, when it comes to both marriage and education patterns.

Key findings include:

• The rate of marriage for Group 2 has dropped significantly, from 34% in 1994 to 12% in 2018. Meanwhile, the average age at the time of marriage rose from 21.2 to 26 years. These changes can be explained partly by shifting demographic patterns and partly by political changes, such as stricter rules for family reunification (e.g. the controversial age limit of 24 years old, introduced in 2002, which has had a big impact).
• Individuals in Group 3 mainly married people with the same background in 2018 (others with a minority background, raised in Denmark), whereas in 1994, 88% of members of the same group married a person who did not grow up in Denmark and brought them to Denmark. The rate of people marrying a person from the same country of origin has also dropped, and the rate of minority youths marrying an ethnic Dane has doubled.
• Tighter rules for family reunification of recent years can explain some of the developments, as it has become harder to bring a spouse from abroad. But the overall number of ethnic minority youths has also grown, making the choice broader, and integration has in general improved. This last factor has similarly contributed to the change in education patterns.
• Participation in the education system rose significantly for Groups 2 and 3. In 1994, 28% of young people aged 18 - 28 with a non-Western background were receiving an education, rising to 47% by 2018. The length of time these individuals stay in education has also increased, mainly for women.

An additional part of the study followed people from the same groups after they married until the age of 42. This research shows a connection between a person's length of education and the ethnic background of the person they marry. People who marry an ethnic Dane tend to be the most educated, and to have slightly higher employment rates. Despite the fact that these women tend to have had more education, the employment rate is higher for the men.

Find out more here.