Educational gradient in migration trajectories of young adult Indonesians
- For policymakers
- Summary created: 2025
Investigates the relationship between educational gradient and internal migration trajectories during young adulthood in Indonesia, focusing on inter-district migrations within this life stage.
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In Indonesia, a country characterized by significant geographic disparities and a dynamic socioeconomic landscape, about a quarter of the population moves at least four times, driven by employment, familial, and educational factors. Education significantly influences migration trajectories, facilitating opportunities and correlating with a higher propensity for repeat migration among the highly educated. Despite the importance of understanding these dynamics, empirical studies on individual migration histories remain limited, particularly in data-constrained contexts like Indonesia. Existing research highlights the significance of repeat migration in the country, but a substantial gap remains regarding the specific correlation between migration trajectories and educational outcomes. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how migration trajectory measures among young adult Indonesians vary by educational outcomes and how subsequent migration patterns during young adulthood are associated with educational, marital, and employment transitions.
Key findings
Higher educational attainment is strongly associated with increased migration rates and repeat migration among young Indonesians.
Evidence
Individuals with tertiary education have a migration rate of 1.66, compared to 0.51 for those with primary education or below. Approximately 67% of tertiary-educated individuals migrate at least once, and they exhibit the highest repeat migration rate of 2.46.
What it means
Education enhances individuals' capabilities and access to opportunities, facilitating migration and contributing to human capital development across regions.
Males and younger cohorts exhibit higher migration rates and repeat migration patterns compared to females and older cohorts.
Evidence
Males have a migration rate of 1.01 and a repeat migration rate of 2.28, while females have rates of 0.72 and 1.99, respectively. Younger cohorts, such as those born in the 1980s, have a migration rate of 1.27, compared to 0.61 for those born before 1960.
What it means
These patterns reflect broader social and economic changes, including increased educational participation and evolving socio-economic conditions in Indonesia.
Migration trajectories are influenced by life-course transitions, with education, employment, and marital status playing significant roles.
Evidence
The concurrence of first migration and continuation in higher education has a significant negative association with primary migration. Entering the labour force after the first migration increases the likelihood of both primary and onward migration.
What it means
Life-course transitions shape migration decisions, highlighting the importance of adopting a life-course perspective to understand migration dynamics.
Onward migration is positively associated with higher educational attainment, while primary migration is more common among less-educated individuals.
Evidence
Tertiary-educated migrants are more likely to engage in onward migration, with a relative risk ratio of 1.877, while primary-educated migrants are more likely to migrate only once.
What it means
Education facilitates access to broader opportunities, enabling individuals to navigate migration complexities and contribute to interregional human capital development.
Migration intervals vary by educational attainment, with tertiary-educated individuals exhibiting longer intervals between migrations.
Evidence
The mean migration interval between the first and second migrations for tertiary-educated individuals is 4.4 years, compared to 4.0 years for those with primary education or below.
What it means
Longer intervals may reflect the duration of tertiary studies and the establishment in initial destinations before subsequent moves.
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