The Determinants of Interdistrict Labour In-migration inPakistan, 1971-1980

The movement of labour from one location to another inPakistan has increased in recent years. This article begins by reviewingthe previous literature pertinent to labour migration within Pakistan.Next, a migration equation at the aggregate level is specified, based onthe expected socio-economic determinants of labour migration and dataavailability. Regression analysis was used to identify and quantify thedeterminants of interdistrict migration in Pakistan during the period1971-1980. The results demonstrate that one of the major determinants ofmigration into a district was the percent of previous migrants in,.adistrict’s population. Interdistrict migration was also significantlyassociated with the socio-economic variables of urbanization, populationdensity, ,and literacy rates. The research presented here providesevidence that the movement of labour be~ween districts in Pakistan istowards locations of superior socio-economic conditions. Migration wasfound to become more responsive to urbanization, population density, andliteracy rates over time, and less responsive to previous migration overtime. Given the huge increase in productivity in the agricultural sectorbrought about by the Green Revolution, the movement of workers out ofagricultural areas and into industrial areas is expected to con~inueinto the fl,lture. This rural-to-urban flow may be limited by the levelof population density; crowded living conditions were found to benegatively associated with labour migration.