Age and Work Experience in the Decision to Migrate

This study concludes that past migration research studies, by failing to control for years of work experience, have computed a coefficient for the age variable that is the summation of two oppositely signed factors. On the one hand, age increases the psychic cost of moving and decreases the length of the accrual period for benefits thus inhibiting geographic mobility. On the other, age increases the general skill level thus stimulating geographic mobility. By controlling for years of experience, this study more accurately measures the impact of age on the migration decision and introduces a modification to the standard human capital model as presented in migration literature.