The Nordic Vision 2030 aims for the Nordic Region to become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. The vision includes enhanced mobility of skills and knowledge around the Nordic regions. In accordance with the policy goals of Thematic Group for Green, Innovative and Resilient Regions (TGC), the research project Early Career Mobility in the Nordic Region will address the emerging migration patterns by analysing the current migration aspirations of young people in the Nordic countries. The project proposal was approved by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Committee of Senior Officials for Regional Policy (EK-R) in November 2022.
The Nordic Council of Ministers have published an Action Plan to follow the Vision 2030. The action plan outlines concrete proposals for projects and priority areas. It involves strengthening the Nordic efforts towards gender equality and sustainable development and specifically highlights the importance of young people´s perspectives. Regarding the labour market, the Nordic Council of Ministers aims to increase employment participation and labour mobility, with young people as one of the top priority groups (Nordic Council of Ministers, 2020).
The overall objective of Early Career Mobility in the Nordic Region is to develop a deeper knowledge of young people´s regional mobility and migration aspirations within the Nordic region. This research project builds on and contributes to several current Nordic Council of Ministers Thematic Group projects examining migration and mobility in the Nordic countries, including the projects Re-Start Competence Mobility in the Nordic Region (Lundgren et al, 2021-2024), and Remote Work and Multilocality (Linda Randall et al, 2021-2024).
The research will address and assess the following key research questions:
What are the migration aspirations of 25-39-year-olds in the Nordic region?
What are the characteristics of those who wish to move?
What are the key drivers of intended migration?
What can the Nordic countries and regions learn from each other in relation to internal migration?
The aim of the project is to understand recent and future developments in regional migration trends in the Nordic region, targeting the population cohorts aged 25 – 39 year olds, which we refer to as the household-creating ages. The project will put an emphasis on urban-to-rural migration, addressing cross-cutting themes such as gender and the Green Transition. The project will collect survey data on individuals in the household-creating ages in the Nordic region, exploring migration aspirations and factors associated with the wish to leave. Furthermore, there is a rising interest in understanding how digitalisation and remote work opportunities are influencing labour mobility and lifestyle decisions among the younger cohorts in the labour market, which this project also will shed light on. 3
Documenting migration aspirations can offer insights into migration forecasts and migration flows and the results can be used to adjust policies related to skills demand and population decline. Understanding the factors associated with the wish to leave (regardless of whether prospective migrants migrate or not) can help policymakers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their communities, and young people´s priorities when choosing where to settle down.