*Shift length is an important determinant of incentives for FIFO and DIDO. *Workforce location patterns may be path dependent. *A life cycle hypothesis suggests that preferences to live locally may vary through a working career. * Mobile workforce are active agents in determining employment arrangements, mining families are resilient and aware of the tradeoffs. * Mobile workforce= LDC, FIFO, DIDO, are common place and should be planned for. * Integrated research will give a stronger evidence base for decision making than competing claims based on vested interests.