Internal Migration of Youth in Megacities as a Factor Influencing the Migration of Youth Abroad (on the Example of Almaty)

Internal migration is a transitional moment for young people to migrate abroad. This article aims to study city infrastructure as a factor influencing the internal migration of young people to big cities. This is one of the country’s problems because it results in a «brain drain» abroad. There is a need to consider these factors. The study examines young people involved in internal migration who arrived in Almaty, aged 14 - 29. The methodology of this study is based on the method of Everett S. Lee. It analyzes factors influencing the internal migration of young people to cities with a population of one million. The article discusses objective factors that constrain or stimulate the migration process between regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. These factors include the number of universities and colleges, the number of employers, medical and entertainment institutions, etc. These indicators were grouped into four factors: education, health care, entertainment and employment. For data analysis and processing, generalization and systematization methods were used. Data for factor estimation was obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics and other official sources for the period 2014 - 2021. Correlation-regression analysis was conducted using the SPSS program to determine the relationship between internal migration and city infrastructure indicators. Results obtained showed a significant relationship between the internal migration of young people and educational and health organizations. Education is seen as one of the main factors in the internal and external migration of young people. Therefore, the development of higher education and employment rates is essential to prevent brain drain.