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Barriers to Labor Migration for the Rural Poor

Author

Listed:
  • Shonchoy, Abu

    (Florida International University and J-PAL)

  • Fujii, Tomoki

    (Singapore Management University)

  • Raihan, Selim

    (University of Dhaka)

Abstract

Migration into stable urban manufacturing jobs offers large returns, yet rural-to-urban migration remains limited in developing countries. Using a field experiment in Bangladesh, we sequentially relax constraints on information, skills, liquidity, and migration risk for poor rural youth seeking jobs in the urban apparel sector. Information and training alone have limited effects. By contrast, combining training with a stipend, paid internship, and transition support increases migration, employment, and earnings, reduces poverty, and produces intra-household spillovers. We find that reducing job-search uncertainty and migration risk is central to labor-market entry, and skills-training programs may require complementary financing, migration assistance, and job-search support for scalable impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Shonchoy, Abu & Fujii, Tomoki & Raihan, Selim, 2026. "Barriers to Labor Migration for the Rural Poor," IZA Discussion Papers 18912, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18912
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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