A long-run analysis of push and pull factors of internal migration in Italy. Estimation of a gravity model with human capital using homogeneous and heterogeneous approaches

We estimate a gravity model of internal migration with human capital across Italian regions during the 1970-2005 time period. The estimates confirm that the macroeconomic variables are the main drivers of migration flows. As for human capital, while at destination it has had no role, at origin it has worked as a restraining factor. Such a restraining role has mainly worked in the Centre-North to South direction. We interpret this result in terms of agglomeration economies that makes the Centre-North as the core and the South as the periphery of Italy. We have framed our analysis inside a cointegration setup and applied both homogeneous and heterogeneous estimators, proving that heterogeneous estimators are more appropriate.