ABSTRACT
Propensity to migrate has always varied between groups of individuals on the basis of a variety of personal characteristics. Quite often it seems that those workers and their families with most need to move for economic reasons are least likely to do so, despite traditional labour market forces. Economic approaches to the study of migration have stressed the role of unemployment and changing labour market structures. This has particular relevance to the UK labour market since much of the present Government’s philosophy with regard to migration is based on a view of the labour market implicit in neo-classical economics. For most households in the survey, aspirations were satisfied within local labour and housing markets. Employment histories revealed an absence of any order whereby one job is linked to another in a logical career progression. Rather, such histories were characterised by diversity and uncertainty, with enforced periods of idleness between jobs.
