RESEARCH PAPER
Economic Factors Behind Interregional Migration in Poland
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Publication date: 2009-04-30
GNPJE 2009;231(4):55-74
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ABSTRACT
The article examines the economic determinants of interregional migrations in Poland in 1995-2006. The author describes selected theoretical issues linked with the process and analyzes the influence of economic factors on interregional migration flows.
Roszkowska evaluates the influence of selected macroeconomic variables on interregional migration flows using gravity models and data such as GDP per capita, labor productivity, unemployment, and the level of urbanization in individual provinces in Poland in 1995-2006.
The analysis enabled the author to identify the most popular destinations for migration. These are chiefly provinces with a relatively well-developed infrastructure, a modern labor force structure by sector, and high economic development indicators. Outlying and poor provinces are the least popular destinations as far as migration is concerned, Roszkowska says. She concludes that the economic development of individual provinces-measured with indicators such as GDP per capita, the situation on regional labor markets, including differences in pay and unemployment rates, and the size of urban centers-has a statistically significant impact on interregional migration flows in Poland.