Are Commuters in the EU Better Educated than Non-Commuters but Worse than Migrants?

Abstract

I analyze the skill and age structure of commuters in 14 EU countries. Theory implies that commuters can be either more or less able than stayers, but are always less able than migrants and that they are also always older than migrants but younger than stayers. Empirically all types of commuters are younger and have higher education than non-commuters. Internal commuters are better educated and younger than cross-border commuters, education decreases while age increases with distance commuted and recent migrants are younger but also more highly educated than commuters.

Keywords: J61, R23

JEL Classification: Commuting, Selectivity, Migration