TRANSLAB - Cross-Border Labour Mobility, Transnational Labour Markets and Social Differentiation in the Central European Region

The project examines recent intra-European migration movements, taking the Central European Region (CENTROPE) as an exemplary instance. This economically and culturally diverse region lies in the heart of Europe, with Vienna as its central metropolitan area. The year 2011 marks the culmination of an important change to the region: on May 1st, the last barriers to the free movement of labour were removed. Experts expect that the opening of the borders will lead to a substantial dynamization of migration processes from Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to Austria. The focus of the project is on migrants' (a) reasons for migrating; (b) labour market integration and occupational trajectory; (c) integration into social networks and dynamics of social inequality. The methodological strategy involves the compilation and analysis of expert interviews, biographical interviews as well as a standardized
survey.