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Differences in Opportunities? Wage, Employment and House‐Price Effects on Migration *
Author(s) -
Rabe Birgitta,
Taylor Mark P.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
oxford bulletin of economics and statistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.131
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1468-0084
pISSN - 0305-9049
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0084.2011.00682.x
Subject(s) - economics , context (archaeology) , panel data , wage , house price , destinations , demographic economics , wage growth , labour economics , internal migration , contrast (vision) , geography , econometrics , developing country , economic growth , archaeology , tourism , artificial intelligence , computer science
Most empirical studies of individual migration choice analyse factors associated with out‐migration from an origin location. In contrast, we model the migration decision within the context of potential destinations, combining British panel data over the period 1992–2008 with other data sources. Contrary to earlier micro studies, we show that differences in house prices levels (but not growth) are important determinants of household migration for homeowners. Unemployed individuals respond to regional differences in expected individual wages, whereas the employed are more sensitive to employment opportunities. Our evidence is consistent with partners of heads of households being tied migrants.