Who Moves to Depressed Regions? An Analysis of Migration Streams in Finland in the 1990s

Abstract

Depressed regions typically lose a large number of migrants but simultaneously are destination regions for some migrants. This study analyzes those people who decided to move to depressed regions in Finland in 1993-1996. The analysis is based on a 1 percent sample drawn from the Finnish longitudinal census. The results show that migration into depressed regions is also a selective process. Return migration is only one part of this migration. However, the more educated an individual is, the more likely she or he is to move to a flourishing region. The process of concentration of human capital is reinforced by interregional migration.