Determinants of Rural-to-Urban Labour Movements in Mexico: Household Perspective

The purpose of this paper is to test specific hypotheses about the detenninants of temporary ruralto- urban migration (circulation) by male heads of households for the putpose of engaging in wage employmenL Data from a sample of 145 rural households located in the central Mexican highlands are used to estimate the model. The circulation equation is formulated as a polychotomous, ordered-response model and is estimated using logistic regression. The results of the model suggest that males' level of education and previous circulation experience have a positive and significant impact on the probability of circulation. By comparison, land has a negative effect, and ecooomic status has a U-shaped effect. Age and the nmnber of adults in the household are fotmd to have a statistically weak association with the dependent variable