Roberto Basile (University of Rome “Sapienza”): From South to North … and Beyond: Educational Selectivity and Migration Trajectories in Italy

This paper analyzes the migration trajectories of young individuals born in Southern Italy who moved to the North between 2011 and 2014. Using longitudinal microdata and discrete-time competing risk models, we examine whether these internal migrants are more likely to return to the South or emigrate abroad. Results reveal a strong educational gradient: highly educated individuals are significantly more likely to use the North as a springboard for international migration, while less-educated individuals tend to return home. These findings shed light on the dynamic interplay between internal and international mobility, and the enduring challenges of brain drain in the Mezzogiorno.