Mapping migration capabilities worldwide

Abstract The complexity and abstract nature of capabilities may explain why research on migration aspirations is far more prevalent than studies on migration capabilities, and why clear conceptualizations and operationalizations of migration capabilities remain lacking. This article provides a first global estimation of migration capabilities, discusses challenges of measuring capabilities at the macro-level and proposes directions for future research. To achieve this, it focuses on four key forms of capital at the aggregate level: economic, social, human and citizenship capital. By integrating these dimensions, the article presents three scenarios with different distributions of migration capabilities and shows that a calculation centered on economic resources and citizenship capital best explains patterns of involuntary immobility. Furthermore, the article discusses the importance of further exploring migration capabilities for both research and policy and identifies three directions for future research. First, expanding data sources and calculations to identify regions where freedom of movement is most restricted and its implications for human development. Second, examining the capability to stay and exploring how different forms of immobility interact with local development. Finally, broadening the understanding of migration capabilities beyond formal migration barriers to uncover commonalities in emigration dynamics and immobility experiences across countries.