1. Home
  2. Studies
  3. The Highly Qualified Move More Frequently Between Regions: An Analysis of Socio-economic Aspects of Internal Migration Based on the Microcensus
Wido Geis-Thöne IW-Trends No. 4 14. December 2020 The Highly Qualified Move More Frequently Between Regions: An Analysis of Socio-economic Aspects of Internal Migration Based on the Microcensus

Very little is yet known about the socio-economic aspects of internal migration, as migration statistics report merely age, sex, nationality and where the move was to and from. Only since the 2017 survey has the German microcensus included a compulsory question regarding place of residence the previous year, making it useful for studies on internal migration.

Download PDF
An Analysis of Socio-economic Aspects of Internal Migration Based on the Microcensus
Wido Geis-Thöne IW-Trends No. 4 14. December 2020

The Highly Qualified Move More Frequently Between Regions: An Analysis of Socio-economic Aspects of Internal Migration Based on the Microcensus

IW-Trends

German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

Very little is yet known about the socio-economic aspects of internal migration, as migration statistics report merely age, sex, nationality and where the move was to and from. Only since the 2017 survey has the German microcensus included a compulsory question regarding place of residence the previous year, making it useful for studies on internal migration.

Multivariate analyses show that, all other things being equal, graduates and undergraduates move between government regions (NUTS2) much more frequently than those with less academic educational backgrounds. In contrast, parents move much less often than the childless. Internal migration is altering not only the demographic but also the socio-economic make-up of Germany’s regions. For example, according to an extrapolation based on the microcensus and migration statistics, from 2014 to 2018 the government region of Upper Bavaria managed to attract a net total of around 69,000 undergraduates and graduates between the ages of 18 and 49. The other regions surrounding large metropolises also benefited strongly from internal migration, with the more rural areas suffering corresponding losses. Not only the magnitude but also, to some extent, the direction of migration is different from that for all 18- to 49-year-olds, making it clear that the migration statistics in their current form are an inadequate monitoring tool for internal migration. IW-Trends – Vierteljahresschrift zur empirischen Wirtschaftsforschung aus dem Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V., 47. Jahrgang,

Download PDF
An Analysis of Socio-economic Aspects of Internal Migration Based on the Microcensus
Wido Geis-Thöne IW-Trends No. 4 14. December 2020

Wido Geis-Thöne: Hochqualifizierte wechseln häufiger die Region – Eine Analyse auf Basis des Mikrozensus zu sozioökonomischen Aspekten der Binnenwanderung

IW-Trends

German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

More on the topic

Read the article
Increasing pressure on the labor market
Lydia Malin / Simon Schumacher IW-Report No. 2 4. January 2024

Pharmaceutical industry: Increasing pressure on the labor market

The shortage of skilled workers poses significant challenges for pharmaceutical companies in Germany and is expected to become increasingly problematic in the context of demographic changes. Concerning Germany's positioning in the international competition ...

IW

Read the article
Wido Geis-Thöne IW-Report No. 25 25. April 2023

Immigration from Latin America: Successes and potential for securing skilled workers

Against the background of the baby boomers leaving the labour market, Germany will be increasingly dependent on skilled workers from abroad in the coming years in order to secure growth and prosperity.

IW

More about this topic

Content element with id 8880 Content element with id 9713