Migration histories and occupational achievement

Abstract

We have investigated the impact of men's and women's migration histories on their occupational achievement. Compared with previous work, our operationalisation of migration histories is much more detailed; we include not only the distinction between onward and return migration, but also the crucial aspects of the destination and short‐term versus long‐term effects of migration. Using retrospective survey data for the Netherlands and a least‐squares regression model of socio‐economic status, we explain the socio‐economic status of men and women in a given year from the migration history up to that year, controlling for other factors known to influence socio‐economic status. Support was found for the hypothesis that migration has a positive long‐term impact on men's occupational achievement. Only multiple migrations affect women's occupational achievement significantly, in a positive way.