How migration motives change over migration distance: evidence on variation across socioeconomic and demographic groups

Abstract

Migration researchers have long known that peoples motives for changing their place of residence vary over migration distance. Typically, short-distance moves are regarded as motivated by housing considerations and longer-distance moves primarily by employment considerations. While this notion forms an important basis for the existing understanding of migration, little empirical work has examined that relationship in more detail. This paper explores how migration motives change over migration distance. Particular attention is paid to variations across socioeconomic and demographic groups. The results show that the housing- versus employment-driven migration dichotomy, over short and long distances, respectively, is still somewhat valid, though the present findings give a much more nuanced interpretation. The paper reveals considerable variation in migration motives, not only over migration distance, but particularly in relation to migrant socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.