A City which Attracts Large-Scale Migrants Fails to Create Enough Jobs for them

Based on the migration-specific National Sample Surveys, this paper finds that the migration flow to Hyderabad has not only increased during the last two decades but also brought changes in the nature and pattern of migration to the city. Although the women migration outnumbered their male counterparts most recently, but most of them make associational movements. Male migration, on the other hand, is driven by combination of push–pull factors, including wage differentials, unemployment in the origin states, and better job prospects in Hyderabad. However, the recent decline in the WPR of migrants and an increased open unemployment among them indicates that the city is not capable of providing enough jobs to the aspirants who moved to the city in the quest for better opportunities. Particularly women, whose probability of work participation is relatively low in the city. Based on these results, it is argued that enhancing employment opportunities for female migrants not only can boost female labour force participation, but also raise per capita income, and drive sustained economic growth in the city. Moreover, targeted policies to support women’s workforce inclusion would also promote gender equality and strengthen Hyderabad’s role as a thriving, inclusive urban economy.