Socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancy within and between native-born and foreign-born populations: a comparative study of 10 European countries

Journal article

Background: Foreign-born residents in high-income countries often outlive the native-born population, but it remains unclear how this advantage varies across countries and socioeconomic groups. We aimed to assess socioeconomic inequalities in the life expectancy advantage of foreign-born populations across 10 European countries. Methods: Using national population registers and census, we collected data on mortality by country of birth and educational attainment in 10 European countries from 2010 to 2019. Based on these data, we estimated partial life expectancy between ages 35 and 80 years for native-born and foreign-born populations in each country, both overall and by education. We then decomposed the overall gap between native- and foreign-born populations into differences in education-specific mortality and the educational composition of the population. Results: Foreign-born populations had higher partial life expectancies than native-born populations in all countries except Sweden and Estonia, especially among individuals with low-level education. Decomposition analyses revealed that the overall longevity advantage of foreign-born populations was largely attributable to their lower mortality in less-educated groups. However, in most countries—except Estonia, Lithuania, and Spain—the overrepresentation of less-educated individuals among the foreign-born partially cancelled out these advantages. Conclusions: The longevity advantages among foreign-born populations in European countries may reflect socioeconomic barriers that concentrate relatively healthy, resource-rich immigrants into lower socioeconomic groups. Improving how societies recognize and use the skills and resources of foreign-born populations can help reduce these barriers, benefiting their longevity outcomes and contributing to more inclusive societies.

Authors: Jang, SY; van Lenthe, FJ; Myrskylä, M; Oksuzyan, A; Loi, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Journal: International Journal of Epidemiology
• Volume: 55
• Issue: 3
• Pages: dyag045
• Article number: dyag045
• Publication date: 2026-04-17
• Acceptance date: 2026-01-19
• DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyag045
• EISSN: 1464-3685
• ISSN: 0300-5771
• Language: English
• Keywords: migrants; country of birth; education; Europe; life expectancy