Using Survey Data to Identify Migration Patterns

This briefing focuses on the difficulty in obtaining the information needed to identify patterns of (temporary) migration, which appear to have become more diverse in recent years, facilitated by developments in transportation and increased globalisation. It is mainly concerned with examining how survey data may be used to shed further light on the issue. It appears that the migration questions that have recently been added to the UK Labour Force Survey (LFS) are not that helpful in this respect. However, utilising the panel element of the LFS is likely to provide a far more fruitful avenue for future research. Some interesting patterns can be identified in the basic application of this approach but more refined analysis is required in order to overcome some of the complicating factors that arise.