Do workers negative self-select when they commute? Evidence for the Chilean case of long-distance commuting.

Abstract

Long-distance commuting (LDC) as a strategy of labor factor mobility has become relevant in recent decades, mainly in those economies characterized by a significant relative weight of extractive activities. The phenomenon is key to understanding the current structure and dynamics of these labor markets, although little is known about self-selection in LDC. This document addresses this knowledge gap by analyzing the case of Chile using functional areas. Chile is a country where LDC has become the principal strategy of labor mobility and is closely linked to the mining and construction sectors. The results obtained show a pattern of negative self-selection, meaning that it is the least qualified who have the highest probability of commuting between functional areas. Commuting could therefore be more than just a mechanism for accessing qualified labor, allowing less qualified individuals access job opportunities when the labor market where they come from is more qualified.