January-December 2013

Funding source: Molise Region, Province of Campobasso

The labor mobility of young high school and university graduates, also driven by the increasing flexibilization of the labor market, is increasingly characterized by temporary and periodic migrations. This phenomenon remains largely hidden and understudied, as its transitory and intermittent nature makes it impossible to capture through standard administrative sources; however, it is crucial to highlight it due to its significant impact on the economy and social cohesion in the areas of origin, as well as its effect on the quality of life of migrants and their families.
In Molise, the discrepancy between the expectations of young graduates and the types of jobs offered by the local market is particularly intense, leading to various forms of “long-distance commuting” to Central-Northern regions and abroad, alongside traditional migration.
The project, funded by the Molise Region, is carried out by IRPPS-CNR on behalf of the Province of Campobasso, by a research group composed of Massimiliano Crisci, Frank Heins, Mattia Vitiello, and Maria G. Caruso from IRPPS-CNR, and Oliviero Casacchia from the Department of Statistical Sciences at Sapienza University of Rome.
The general objective of the project is to analyze the temporary labor migrations of high school and university graduates from Molise, framing them within the context of the various forms of mobility crossing the region: from long-distance “permanent” migration to daily commuting.

Specifically, temporary migrations will be studied with particular attention to the following aspects:
• Quantitative estimation and recent trends of the phenomenon
• Socio-demographic characteristics of migrants
• Duration and frequency of the move
• Choice of destination and the role of social networks
• Employment sector and educational level of migrants
• Socio-economic impact of migration
• Perceptions and future intentions of migrants

From a methodological standpoint, two different approaches will be used: a quantitative one, through the review and analysis of existing statistical sources; and a qualitative one, involving interviews with key informants, in-depth biographical interviews with migrants, and an online self-administered questionnaire (CAWI method) published on the IRPPS-CNR website.

Frank Heins, Mattia Vitiello, and Maria G. Caruso from IRPPS-CNR

Oliviero Casacchia from the Department of Statistical Sciences at Sapienza University of Rome.