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Nonresident family as a motive for migration

Author

Listed:
  • Brian Joseph Gillespie

    (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

  • Clara Mulder

    (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

Abstract

Background: A great deal of research has focused on employment and educational reasons for migration. Recent research has also begun to explore social motives. However, we still know very little about the role of nonresident family for moving, especially over long distances. Objective: We examine (1) the prevalence of nonresident family as a primary motive versus a secondary and location-based motive for migration, (2) moving away from family versus moving toward family, (3) how individuals’ reported family motives correspond to their actual migration toward family members, and (4) the sociodemographic characteristics of individuals who report family as a motive for migration. Methods: The data were derived from the Swedish Motives for Moving survey, which is based on an analytic sample of 4,601 Swedish respondents who migrated at least 20 km in 2007. We present descriptive statistics and quotes to illustrate respondents’ reports of their migration motives. As a tool for sophisticated description, we also provide the results of logistic and ordered logistic regression models of mentioning nonresident family as a motive for moving. Contribution: Common assumptions that internal migration is related to employment and education underestimate the importance of family as a motive. Moreover, nonresident family is among the secondary and location-based considerations for many more migrants than data on only primary motives might suggest. Reports of migration toward family are far more common than reports of migration away from family. We provide support for the assumption underlying previous work that moves toward family are indeed motivated by family considerations and not just a by-product of other considerations. Sociodemographic characteristics associated with reporting nonresident family are in line with expectations based on prior research and theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Joseph Gillespie & Clara Mulder, 2020. "Nonresident family as a motive for migration," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 42(13), pages 399-410.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:42:y:2020:i:13
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2020.42.13
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Ermisch & Clara H. Mulder, 2019. "Migration Versus Immobility, and Ties to Parents," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 35(3), pages 587-608, July.
    2. Thomas Niedomysl, 2011. "How Migration Motives Change over Migration Distance: Evidence on Variation across Socio-economic and Demographic Groups," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(6), pages 843-855.
    3. Amy Spring & Elizabeth Ackert & Kyle Crowder & Scott J. South, 2017. "Influence of Proximity to Kin on Residential Mobility and Destination Choice: Examining Local Movers in Metropolitan Areas," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(4), pages 1277-1304, August.
    4. Michael Thomas & Brian Joseph Gillespie & Nik Lomax, 2019. "Variations in migration motives over distance," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(38), pages 1097-1110.
    5. Annika Smits, 2010. "Moving close to parents and adult children in the Netherlands: the influence of support needs," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 22(31), pages 985-1014.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jonne A. K. Thomassen & Isabel Palomares-Linares & Viktor A. Venhorst & Clara H. Mulder, 2023. "Local Ties as Self-Reported Constraints to Internal Migration in Spain," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 39(1), pages 1-37, December.
    2. Brian Joseph Gillespie & Clara H. Mulder & Christiane Reichert, 2022. "The Role of Family and Friends in Return Migration and Its Labor Market Outcomes," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(1), pages 115-138, February.
    3. Virág Ilyés & István Boza & László Lőrincz & Rikard H Eriksson, 2023. "How to enter high-opportunity places? The role of social contacts for residential mobility," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(2), pages 371-395.
    4. Sunganani V. Kalemba & Aude Bernard & Jonathan Corcoran & Elin Charles-Edwards, 2022. "Has the decline in the intensity of internal migration been accompanied by changes in reasons for migration?," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 279-313, September.
    5. Cody Warner & Gregory Sharp, 2024. "Nowhere to Launch? County-Level Correlates of Home-Leaving and Home-Returning," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(3), pages 1-21, June.
    6. Clara H. Mulder & Emma Lundholm & Gunnar Malmberg, 2020. "Young Adults’ Migration to Cities in Sweden: Do Siblings Pave the Way?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(6), pages 2221-2244, December.
    7. Roselinde Wiel & Niels Kooiman & Clara H. Mulder, 2021. "Family Complexity and Parents’ Migration: The Role of Repartnering and Distance to Non-Resident Children," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 37(4), pages 877-907, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    internal migration; nonresident family;

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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