Geographical Mobility and Occupational Achievement: Examining the Role of Italian Cities as «Escalator» Regions

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between geographical mobility and occupational achievement focusing on internal migration processes that occurred in the second half of the 20th century in Italy. Using retrospective information from the Italian Household Longitudinal Survey (IHLS), the study clarifies whether certain destinations, particularly large urban centres in central and northern Italy, provide inter-regional migrants with systematic occupational advantages, enabling migrants to attain higher-status positions after relocating. Findings reveal that migrants to large cities in central and northern Italy achieve, on average, higher occupational standings compared to stayers in the area of origin, with strong differences by gender and geographical area of origin. Furthermore, the occupational advantage associated with migration to large cities substantially varies by social class of origin, suggesting the interrelation between urban escalators and the intergenerational transmission of social inequalities.