Comparative Patterns of Migration Intentions: Evidence from Eastern European Students in Economics from Romania and Republic of Moldova

Based on a survey among students in economics at universities from the Romanian region of Moldova (RoMold) and Republic of Moldova (ReMold), this study explores the influence of familial, background, and individual characteristics on the migration intentions abroad. Both regional models built after using data mining tools and binary logistic regression analysis show a powerful emphasis on our own value recognition, while the other influences indicate clear asymmetric patterns in terms of migration intentions. For RoMold, there is a low level of interpersonal trust, a strong accent on individual liberty and favoritism, a low respect for traditions, and the belief that Orthodoxy could be a migration cause. The paternal occupation and the maternal religiosity matter for their migration plans. For ReMold, the parental migration experience, a low level of parents’ education attainment, and a powerful internal locus of control are considered the main triggers for migrating abroad. For both particular regions, a highly interactive distribution map and two corresponding risk-prediction nomograms provide basic support for replication, fast visual insight, and consistent support for interpretations directly in probabilistic terms. We intend to apply an inductive approach in order to extend the analysis to different types of respondents and geographic areas.