Determinants of internal migration in Israel: expected returns and risks

Area of Science:

• Economics
• Demography
• Sociology

Background:

• Inter-regional migration patterns are influenced by complex socio-economic and demographic factors.
• Understanding migration determinants is crucial for regional development and policy-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze place-to-place migration in Israel using a multinomial logit model.
• To identify key economic, geographic, and demographic drivers of inter-regional migration.
• To test the applicability of the Harris-Todaro hypothesis in an industrialized context.

Main Methods:

• Application of a multinomial logit model to empirical data on inter-regional migration in Israel (1980).
• Analysis focused on economic, geographic, and demographic variables influencing migration decisions.
• Incorporation of risk aversion as a factor in migration decision-making.

Main Results:

• The model successfully explains 75% of the cross-sectional variance in migration data.
• Results support the Harris-Todaro hypothesis regarding migration determinants.
• Regional similarities in industrial employment structure were found to promote migration.

Conclusions:

• Economic, geographic, and demographic factors significantly influence inter-regional migration.
• Risk aversion plays a role in migration decisions within an industrialized setting.
• Industrial employment structure is a key factor in migration patterns, aligning with the Harris-Todaro hypothesis.