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Socio-economic Determinants of Labour Mobility in Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Ather Maqsood Ahmed

    (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad.)

  • Ismail Sirageldin

    (The Johns Hopkins University, USA.)

Abstract

Why do factors of production, especially the labour, migrate from one region or sector to another? This question, which remains fundamental to economic and human resource development, has been a major topic among researchers. While considerable progress has been made in developing a theoretical model of migration, the empirical verification of this model using individual level data has remained unresolved. With the availability of Population, Labour Force, and Migration (PLM) Survey data, this paper attempts to develop a model of internal migration in Pakistan, to serve as a guiding paradigm to write down a model for meaningful estimation. Keeping in line with the literature, three types of variables have been identified as the possible determinants of migration. These variables relate to the possession of human capital, commitment to job and place of residence, and cost-related factors. After controlling for other variables, it was observed that, in general, migrants were selective especially in terms of age, education, and choice of occupation. These findings are consistent with the evidence from other developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Ather Maqsood Ahmed & Ismail Sirageldin, 1993. "Socio-economic Determinants of Labour Mobility in Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 32(2), pages 139-157.
    • Handle: RePEc:pid:journl:v:32:y:1993:i:2:p:139-157
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    File URL: http://www.pide.org.pk/pdf/PDR/1993/Volume2/139-157.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Irfan, 2010. "A Review of the Labour Market Research at PIDE 1957-2009," PIDE Books, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, number 2010:1 edited by Rashid Amjad & Aurangzeb A. Hashmi.
    2. Asma, Hyder, 2008. "The Effects of Relocation on Wages: A Decomposition Analysis," MPRA Paper 19571, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Aliya H. Khan & Lubna Shehnaz, 2000. "Determinants of Internal Migration in Pakistan: Evidence from the Labour Force Survey, 1996-97," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 39(4), pages 695-712.
    4. Ather Maqsood Ahmed, 1998. "Sources of Earnings Differentials Among Migrants and Natives," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 37(4), pages 939-953.
    5. Ather Maqsood Ahmed & Ismail Sirageldin, 1994. "Internal Migration, Earnings, and the Importance of Self-selection," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 33(3), pages 211-227.
    6. Umar Mukhtar & Zhangbao Zhong & Beihai Tian & Amar Razzaq & Muhammad Asad ur Rehman Naseer & Tayyaba Hina, 2018. "Does Rural–Urban Migration Improve Employment Quality and Household Welfare? Evidence from Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.

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