Labour force flows in Hungary 2002-2021 based on comprehensive administrative data

Abstract

In our study, we present the job-to-job entry and exit rates based on the comprehensive, anonymous database of the Hungarian State Treasury, categorised by social groups, firm sizes and geographical locations from 2002 to 2021. We filtered out the distortions in the administrative data (e.g. due to corporate restructuring), from the labour flows. Job-to-job rates were procyclical over these 20 years, while the rate of entries and exits responded less to the cyclical state of the economy. The regional pattern of entry and exit rates correlates with the development level of districts. Men switch jobs more frequently than women. The probability of changing jobs diminishes with age. Job-to-job flows of the younger age group are also more sensitive to economic conditions. Employees in jobs requiring lower qualifications are more likely to change jobs. Large companies have the lowest turnover rate as a proportion of their workforce.