ARE MOVERS STILL THE SAME? CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERREGIONAL MIGRANTS IN SWEDEN 1970-2001

The purpose of this study is to investigate interregional migration in Sweden during the last three decades and to discuss the effects that changes on the labour market and in household structures have had on migration patterns. The empirical data consists of all interregional migrants in Sweden from 1970 to 2001. The results indicate that the pattern of labour market-related migration has changed as more migrants today migrate at an age prior to having become established on the labour market. The increase in interregional migration is to a large extent an effect of increased student migration. The study further shows that changed household structures have also had an impact on migration patterns during the studied period. Interregional migration among families has become rarer as dual income households have become the norm. Copyright (c) 2007 by the Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG.