Youth migration between constraints and opportunities: a comparative literature review

Abstract

This paper provides a synthesis of the specialized literature on youth migration, based on the analysis of more than twenty studies and reports identified in international databases (Web of Science, Scopus, OECD, Eurofound, UNDP, IOM). Youth emigration emerges as a complex and multi-causal process, shaped by economic, institutional, and socio-cultural factors. Wage disparities, difficulties in the transition from education to the labor market, and employment precarity intersect with aspirations for educational and professional advancement. At the same time, weak governance and corruption further exacerbate migratory pressures. While classical push-pull and neoclassical models offer a solid explanatory foundation, contemporary theories, such as the aspirations-capabilities approach (Carling; de Haas), highlight the gap between mobility intentions and actual opportunities. Education and human capital increase the likelihood of mobility, whereas NEET status and limited labor market prospects intensify emigration intentions. In the case of the Republic of Moldova, research specifically dedicated to youth migration remains insufficient. This analysis highlights the existing gaps while underlining the need for public policies that transform migration from a constrained option into a genuine choice, embedded within a broader framework of sustainable sociodemographic development.