The Role of Repeated Moves and Heterogeneous Geographic Mobility Trajectories on Occupational Outcomes

Sergi Vidal, CED-CERCA / Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

The literature often frames geographic mobility or migration as economically driven and closely tied to social mobility, frequently serving as a pathway to enhanced employment opportunities. However, empirical evidence highlights considerable variations in socio-economic outcomes across different population groups, with disparities evident based on gender, social background, and geographical origin. While between-group differences have been extensively studied, within-group variations are less explored, even though geographic mobility experiences are diverse and frequently occur multiple times over an individual's life course. This study closes gaps in knowledge by (i) reassessing the effect of geographic mobility on occupational outcomes by accounting for repeated moves, and (ii) exploring heterogeneity in these associations based on frequency, age, direction, and geographical scope of moves. Utilizing data from the Survey of Ageing, Health, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we examine residential and occupational histories for individuals born between 1950 and 1965 across 28 European countries. We employ G-methods, which are robust to time-varying confounding and provide an advanced alternative to traditional regression approaches by accounting for the impact of previous moves on current outcomes. Our findings highlight the critical importance of recognizing multiple and diverse mobility experiences in understanding their role in social stratification.

Keywords: Internal Migration and Urbanization, Qualitative data/methods/approaches, Longitudinal studies , Human Capital, Education, and Work

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