Internal migration and technical efficiency: the case of Italy

The aim of the paper is to contribute to the study of the determinants of the internal mobility of people. To study the determinants of internal migration, we introduce a new explanatory variable, i.e. technical efficiency of Local Labour Market Areas. This variable is particularly relevant, as it allows us to summarize the entrepreneurial capacity connected to the cultural and social context of an area. Our results, for the case of Italy, suggest that technical efficiency contributes greatly to explaining internal migratory flows and the various patterns of migration among different groups of individuals. By looking more specifically at different groups of individuals, we also uncover important differences between natives and foreigners and among different age-groups.