ABSTRACT
This chapter comments on the country case-study chapters. It argues that there is a tendency towards migration decline across the world and across all types of country but that it is not universal, especially in Europe. Three sets of factors are identified. Firstly, demography: population ageing is identified as forcing migration down but generational effects are also discussed. Short-term period effects like the Great Recession have reduced migration for the millennials but there are also more permanent lifestyle choices across many countries that might act over the longer term. Secondly, spatial economic restructuring: changes in the geography of economic opportunity may act to reduce migration although not in all circumstances. Thirdly, international migration: international migration might increase the stock of mobile people but it might also restrict opportunities for moves available to the native born. It is argued that decreases in migration may continue but that other forms of spatial mobility may supersede traditional address-changing measures.
