What are the main factors associated with immigrants’ subjective well-being in Italy? Evidence from self-reported life satisfaction

Using data from the survey on “Social Condition and Integration of Foreign Citizens” collected by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) in 2011–2012, the aim of this paper is to study immigrants’ subjective well‐being in Italy, evaluating the main individual factors associated with self‐reported life satisfaction among first‐generation immigrants regularly residing in Italy. The multivariate analysis is based on ordinary least squares regression (OLS) and includes various kinds of factors: demographic, human capital, immigration, transnationalism and sense of belonging variables. We found that demographic and human capital variables have a strong positive impact on life satisfaction. In addition, country of origin and immigration variables also have an impact on life satisfaction. Transnationalism and gender attitudes are positively associated with life satisfaction. Our study concludes that, despite several shortcomings, the “Southern European model of immigration” does not hamper immigrants’ self‐reported life satisfaction.