Forced or free movers? The motives, voluntariness and selectivity of interregional migration in the Nordic countries

Abstract This paper examines interregional migration within the five Nordic countries, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, focusing on the impacts on migration decisions. A background to the study is the regional demographic polarisation of the five countries and the debate about labour market migration. The main questions of the study are: (a) What motives, apart from those relating to the labour market, are important to interregional migrants? (b) Do migrants perceive their decision to move as voluntary? (c) Are migration decisions in conflict with peoples' life projects, values and attitudes? The empirical analysis is based on 9600 responses to a survey conducted in all five countries, with participants including both those who have changed resident municipality in the last two years (migrants) and those who have lived in the same municipality for more than five years (stayers). The study reveals that only about one in five migrants give employment as a major motive for moving. Environmental and social factors are often more important. The majority of migrants claim that their decision to move is voluntary. The results also confirm previous research suggesting that migrants are more likely to be young, single people and have a higher educational level than stayers. There is also evidence that migration is often compatible with migrants' values and preferences. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.