Chasing the Boom: The Role of Geographic Mobility in Gender Wage Gaps

In this paper, I examine how differences in geographic mobility between men and women shaped gender wage disparities before, during, and after the resource boom in Canada in 2003-2013. The findings reveal that the resource boom triggered significant male-dominated migration to boom regions, whereas women’s geographic mobility remained comparatively limited. Although the boom raised wages across all sectors within the resource-intensive region, including supporting services with large female employment, men disproportionately captured these gains due to their higher propensity to relocate. As a result, the gender wage gap has increased, particularly in the boom regions. This paper provides evidence that gender differences in geographic mobility play a crucial role in perpetuating and exacerbating wage inequalities in the presence of geographically concentrated economic growth.