Interregional migration and thresholds: evidence from Spain

Clemente, J., Larramona, G. y Olmos, L. (2016): ‘Interregional migration and thresholds: evidence from Spain’, Spatial Economic Analysis, DOI:10.1080/17421772.2016.1153706

Abstract

We analyse the effects of labour market factors on interregional migration in Spain for the period 1988–2010. A basic theoretical framework is developed, suggesting that the effect of labour market variables on migration varies, depending on a certain threshold. The model implications are tested using a new approach based on the presence of endogenous thresholds. We show that Spanish interregional migration can be explained by labour market variables when the labour market conditions at the source region are unfavourable relative to those of the host region. We test the results for several migrant characteristics, such as citizenship, the age range, and return migration.