The model extends these frameworks by incorporating additional heterogeneity through both immigrant and regional characteristics, as well as their interactions. Capturing such heterogeneity represents a key advantage of microsimulation over traditional cohort-component approaches.
Validation against the benchmark projections shows that the new model reproduces results with high precision at both aggregate and disaggregated levels. Differences between the microsimulation and benchmark models are negligible across population size and demographic components, including for immigrant groups and at municipality levels. These findings demonstrate that the microsimulation model is robust, reliable, and well-suited for future applications in population analysis.
In addition to the validation exercise, we conduct a proof-of-concept demonstration that offers a first glimpse into the analytical potential of the extended model. We highlight emerging patterns, such as differences in internal migration, that warrant deeper investigation. These preliminary insights point to promising directions for explorations in future publications.