Migrant Households Research Articles

From Left-Behind Children to Youth Labor Migrants: The Impact of Household Networks, Gendered Migration, and Relay Migration in Southeast Asia

Do children with migrant parents or migrant family members have a greater likelihood of migration as they reach adulthood? Three possible patterns of youth migration are examined in this study: (1) network migration, when families migrating first pave the way for subsequent generations to follow; (2) gendered migration, where the gender of migrant parents and left-behind children influences the probability of youth migration; and (3) relay migration, which involves transgenerational migration switching within a family. We use data collected from Thailand in 2008/2010 (Wave 1) and tracked in 2019 (Wave 2) to understand how the migration of parents and other family members influenced youth migration in 2019. Within the network effect, household migration was one of the driving forces behind youth migration, while mother-involved migration appeared to be strongly associated with youth labor migration, especially among males. There is, however, no evidence that return migration, whether parental or non-parental in the same household, was associated with an increased likelihood of youth labor migration. This study demonstrates the relative strength of network effects of household migration when compared to relay migration on youth migration. The findings also highlight the complexity of gender-based migration in the Thai context. This research contributes to the larger field of left-behind children and youth migration by establishing the transition between these two roles and illustrating different reasons for migration in sending countries.

Why Did Urban Exodus Occur during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Perspective of Residential Preference of Each Type of Household? Case of Japanese Metropolitan Areas

The background of this study is the urban exodus that occurred in Japanese metropolitan areas. The research question of this study is about the reasons why the urban exodus occurred in Japanese metropolitan areas. For the analysis, the objective of this study is to clarify the residential preferences of each household type in relation to the urban exodus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japanese metropolitan areas. The method of this study is a web questionnaire survey. The sample comprised 593 respondents who migrated from ordinance-designed cities to other municipalities in metropolitan areas between April 2020 and March 2022. In conclusion, this study elucidates that migrant household type as urban exodus is households whose eldest child had enrolled in elementary school or above. Regarding residential preferences, the household type changes the importance of community and environment, rather than the working arrangement. This result is novel and essential because it clarifies that the household type tends to place more importance on the quality of childcare environment, ties to communities, the presence of a large garden/balcony, and utilizing opportunities to experience the community, such as via trial migration support programs.

Gendered differences in family reunion motivations, female-breadwinning status and spousal gender relations in young African migrant households in Hong Kong

Purpose Little is known about gender relations in young African migrant families residing in Hong Kong (HK). This study aims to present a first-hand account of daily lived experiences of African international doctoral student couples residing in HK, with special emphases on their Africa–HK migratory motivations, perceptions of female-breadwinning status, the effects of HK Immigration policy on marital power structures and the influence of spousal relative statuses (“breadwinner” versus “dependent”) on couples gender role performances and decision-making participations. Design/methodology/approach This study used ethnographic method involving several indoor family visits, non-participant observations and 21 in-depth interviews in six African student families. Fieldnotes were taken and interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and interpreted using thematic content analysis. Findings Couples, especially dependent men, had a hard time deciding to migrate to HK for family reunion, unlike dependent women who willingly resigned to join their husbands in HK. Among the male dependents, the main reasons for migrating included anticipated economic returns, while women migrated in response to neolocal cultural expectations. Overall, patriarchy persisted – while men had the final say over key household decision-making domains, women remained primary performers of household chores, but manifested little bargaining power, restraining husband’s ability to spend family income when they are the family’s sole-earners. Women’s relative breadwinning status had very minimal significant impact. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effects of HK’s immigration policy on married African students’ migration motivations and the effects of female-breadwinning status on spousal gender relations in HK’s African student migrant households.

Does rural livelihood change? Household capital, climate shocks and farm entry-exit decisions in rural Pakistan

Agriculture is a primary source of livelihoods in developing countries. The process of entry and exit of farming activities continues to play an important role in maintaining competition in agriculture and allocating resources between agriculture and other sectors. However, climate changes and other economic and social shocks have been severely affecting farmers’ livelihoods. This article examines rural household livelihood transition in the context of farm entry and exit decisions in rural Pakistan. Using 1867 rural household survey data, we brought insights into how livelihood assets, climate shocks, climate investment and locational characteristics affect their farm entry and exit decisions. The results indicate that the proportion of farm entry (24%) was higher than that of farm exit (15%). The major factors were crop inputs using as credit with a huge markup, crop inputs sold by farmers on net cash in financial crisis, climate shocks and poor climate investment that contributed to farm exit. They were household head characteristics, land ownership (family farm), and livestock ownership that increased the likelihood of farm entry decisions. Farm exit decisions were significantly and positively associated with household migration status, irrigation water shortage, off-farm income, crop input used as credit, crop diseases, climate shocks and lack of local government role in sharing climate knowledge. Furthermore, Propensity Score Matching (PSM) results found that the entry decision significantly decreases household income, while the exit decision significantly increases household income and food security status. These findings provide insights into farm entry and exit for those who are planning livelihood transition, and offer recommendations on how to overcome the constraints faced by farming businesses, agricultural sustainability, self-sufficiency and food security during the transition nationally and internationally.

The spectacular ordinariness of the Arabian Gulf in Kerala: Exploring the thing of migration

The migration from the Indian state of Kerala to the Arabian Gulf is credited with giving rise to consumerist culture. The households of Gulf migrants in Kerala are found to have better access to technology and improved conditions of living. The cultural matrix in which these technologies and foreign goods made their meanings and mobilize affects is under-researched. Taking the case of a canned powdered milk, Nido, as a spectral presence of the Gulf in Kerala, this paper, veered towards a singular reading drawing on mainstream films, and a variety of Keralan Gulf migrant archives, examines the ways in which the canned milk powder entered existing cultural values and produced discourses around itself, while also being an excess to discourse. The paper illustrates the enmeshed nature of migration, in which materials cross borders and purposes, is imputed with essences, or pass on from the spectacular to the quotidian. The paper argues that the contradictions of the Gulf migration — the limits of migration induced mobility in Kerala on the one hand, and the denial of citizenship in the Gulf on the other — is resolved through spectrality that the Gulf migration is projected and experienced as.

Migration and livelihood of rural households in Nigeria

With agriculture being the main source of livelihood, migration has posed severe constraints, thus hampering the livelihood of many households. This research focused on the effects of migration on the livelihood of rural households in Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, Probit and Tobit regression models were the analytical tools employed. Most of the households were male-headed and two-thirds of the rural households had members who had migrated for at least six months. Internal migration was the predominant type of migration while rural households were found to have a low level of livelihood. Age, education, household size, type of employment, land access, type of dwelling, migrant status and physical assets were significant in determining livelihoods of rural households. Thus, lessening the rural-urban divide in the rural areas through public-private partnerships in terms of innovations to support and expand the livelihood possibilities of rural households at all levels of governance should be prioritized.

Impact of Migration on Non-Migrant School Completion Rates and Enrolment in South Africa

South Africa struggles with low secondary school completion rates and this has a negative effect on poverty and inequality. In this study, we examine the relationship between internal migration (international migrants were excluded) and non-migrant educational outcomes (secondary school enrolment and completion rates) in South Africa between 1996 and 2011. We use census data for the years 1996, 2001 and 2011 (at the district and municipal levels) in several linear probability regression models that include the First Difference (FD) and System Generalised Method of Moments (GMM-SYS) with instrumental variables. The 2011 census is the latest available in South Africa now. We find that internal migrants have a positive effect on both enrolment and completion rates of non-migrants. These results vary in intensity depending on the level of education of both internal migrant and non-migrant household heads. These results have implications for the local labour market and for income inequality in South Africa; internal migrants provide positive peer effects that contribute to raising non-migration enrolment and completion. Internal migrants also provide job market competition which influences non-migrants to complete secondary schooling. There is scant empirical evidence on the impact of internal migration on education outcomes in African countries, especially in South Africa. Our paper provides evidence from a country with a history of persistent internal migration. Most prior research has focused on the relationship between immigration and education outcomes in the developed world. We recommend that government improves secondary school quality in rural and urban areas and increase study loans for students at tertiary institutions.

The Role of the Social Environment and Social Capital in Improving the Welfare of Returning Migrants in Central Java

The aims of this study are: (1) to explain the use of social capital in improving the welfare of returning migrant households; (2) to explain the interaction of the social environment and social capital in determining the welfare of the household; (3) identifying stakeholders in improving the welfare of returning migrants. The research design is a survey and case study. This study chose the research location in Central Java. Determination of the sample using the technique of multi-stages and purposive sampling. Collecting data using observation, structured interviews, and in-depth interviews.Data analysis uses descriptive statistics, the descriptive statistical and qualitative analysis and categorical. Return migrants more than 40 percent still maintain contact and always keep in touch. Actors involved in organizing return migrants are NGOs, companies, government, and religious organizations. The obstacle for returning migrants to increasing household welfare from the use of social capital is that there are still very few returning migrants who are members of organizations, those who join organizations are also just for non-productive communication, organizations are only a place to meet misses and mutual help. The social environment is more dominated by various traditional practices, limited to those who know them well, there is less innovation.

Digital Financial Inclusion and Remittances: An Empirical Study on Bangladeshi Migrant Households

Digital Financial Inclusion and Remittances: An Empirical Study on Bangladeshi Migrant Households

ТРУДОВА МІГРАЦІЯ ЯК СКЛАДОВА СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ ДЕРЖАВИ

In the conditions of the spread of dynamic globalization processes, migration is a natural phenomenon and an existential sign of the development of all countries of the world. Migration movements, which are characterized by considerable scales, have turned into a significant factor in the development of the globalized world. They influence the formation of the quantitative and qualitative composition of the population, socio-demographic and economic development, political and cultural spheres, etc. The article analyzes the problem of the impact of labor migration on the social security of the state. Factors that are influenced by emigration and immigration of labor resources are studied: social, demographic, political, economic, as well as the motives of Ukrainians going abroad. The negative impact of migration on social insecurity due to illegal employment, lack of social insurance is determined; limited social protection of migrants; unsettled issue of pension provision for Ukrainians working in countries with which there are no interstate agreements. In addition, the positive impact of labor migration on the acquisition of knowledge, improvement of qualifications, development of new technologies, professions, systems of organizing migrant production, improvement of the standard of living of migrant households, and reduction of poverty is determined. The impact of labor migration on the receiving state (social benefits for migrants, providing them with housing, transport, education, etc.) and the country of origin ("brain drain", competition in the labor market with local residents, reducing the general level of wages, improve the economic condition of their country by sending earned funds, etc.). According to the results of the study of the dynamics of the number of migrants arriving in Ukraine, it was established that their number has decreased. The assessment of the dynamics of the existing population showed that the population of Ukraine has decreased significantly. It was analyzed that the number of citizens who left the country decreased. Military operations in Ukraine provoked a significant number of able-bodied citizens to leave. As of February 2023, the number of Ukrainians living in different countries is 799,000. The majority plans to return to Ukraine, but there are some citizens who want to stay.

Role of Remittance in Gender Transformation- A Study of Women Labor Migration in Pokhara Metropolitan City

The power, authority, and empowerment attained with the aid of economic capitals not only aids in the transformation of gender roles, but social and cultural capital also facilitates various facets of life, including: the standard of education, the types of employment involvement, the level of awareness, the types of family living, and the modes of interaction. As a result, both benefits and drawbacks can be found in the daily lives of both migrants and non-migrants due to the growing trend of female labor migration. In a traditionally patriarchal nation like Nepal, the migration of women for labor raises moral concerns about their moral decency as they struggle to reintegrate into their families and communities. The gender shift in the slum community of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal, is the main emphasis of this paper's examination of the various features of remittances and ways through which they are transferred. Particular focus is placed on the conversion of economic capital into social and cultural capital as well as the function of proxy managers in managing household duties and remittances. Data from both secondary literature and original sources are used to support the arguments made here. The data came from 199 households of women migrants' families who had moved away at least three years prior to the survey, which was conducted between March and July 2022. The data collecting and analysis techniques used were both quantitative and qualitative. The numerous facets of remittances are examined in this paper. The findings explain the diverse forms of capital accumulation and how women gain more influence in various spheres of social life. The study also offers a more nuanced view of how women are becoming more involved in household decision-making as a result of economic empowerment and how to address forthcoming socio-cultural barriers that prevent their engagement in public sphere.

Labor migration and its impact on economic status

The present study entitled Labor Migration and its Impact in Bhaktapur has been carried out with the main objective to identify the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of international labor migrants' households, This study was conducted by applying descriptive type of research by using survey based research design. International labour migration is a process which is very significant. Remittance from abroad is supporting the national economy to a great extent. Unemployment is a burning issue and foreign employment is providing employment to many from across Nepal. Foreign currency has weight and with the high exchange rate it can really be rewarding Work and Wage is mostly determined by skill, education and fluency. People are surviving and at the same time hoping that sooner or later foreign employment will be a blessing. It is just a matter of years spend abroad by the migrants that will improve the economic condition of the respective households. Level of income for migrant households has increased but expenditure also increased respectively. Standard of living and quality of food are raised of their family. Unemployment lack of agricultural land and poverty are important factors for emigration associated with origin. Likewise, high wage rate, easy availability of unskilled works and no need of higher education other important factors associated destination. Some positive and negative impacts also seem in foreign employment.

An Evaluation of Factors Influencing Urban Integration and Livelihood of Eco-Migrant Families: Quantitative Evidence from Western China

Background. In China, the policy of ecological migration is a new approach to protect the urban ecological environment. However, the changes in livelihood capital before and after migration and the matching relationship between the livelihood capital and livelihood model of migrants are rarely explored. Our study aims to address these research gaps to determine factors affecting the urban integration of eco-migrant families and their means of sustainable livelihood. Methods. We used the survey data of migrant households in China in 2017 and 2018. Heckman’s two-stage model and the endogenous transformation regression model were applied for data analysis. Results. First, most migrants are willing to integrate into urban life after relocation, but the efficiency of their integration into urban life needs to be improved. Second, differences in demographic background and geographic location significantly affect the decisions of migrants in urban integration. Third, family heterogeneity has the greatest impact on the degree of urban integration, followed by geographical location. Lastly, the high degree of urban integration of migrants has a significant impact on their household income. Conclusions. Local governments and communities should provide immigrant families migrating from rural to urban China with more social and economic resources for their better socioeconomic integration.

Black and White Names: Evolution and Determinants

Black and white Americans tend to have different names today. This divide was long in the making. I show that the racial divergence in naming patterns was a gradual and continuous process spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I then exploit the migration of households from the South to determine if place matters for name choices. Children born after their households moved receive names that are less black or more white than their older siblings, a difference that widens with time spent outside the South. This may reflect the cultural assimilation of households rather than a response to economic incentives.

A family-based approach to public rental housing in Chongqing, China: a perspective of rural migrant households

Since 2010, the city of Chongqing in south-western China has built 40 million square metres of public rental housing, responding to China’s New Urbanisation Plan. Due to its emphasis on massive provision and the role played by the state, public rental housing in Chongqing has attracted considerable attention. Yet few studies have examined the effects of this scheme on household strategies and experiences from the perspective of rural migrant families. The results of 120 semi-structured interviews with rural migrants show that they tend to adopt a family-based approach to maximise their households’ economic and non-economic interests when considering resettling.

Health insurance status of cross-border migrant children and the associated factors: a study in a Thai-Myanmar border area

BackgroundAlthough policies of Thailand for migrant health protection are inclusive for all migrant groups, due to existing constraints in practices and policy implementation, many migrant children still lack the protection. This study aimed to assess the health insurance status of children aged 0-14 whose parents were cross-border migrant workers in Thailand, and factors related to the status.MethodsA Thai-Myanmar border area, being developed as a ‘special economic zone’ by the Thai government, was selected as a study site. With a cross-sectional research design, the study collected primary data in late 2018 by a structured questionnaire from 402 migrant households that contained 803 children. The logistic generalized estimating equation (GEE) technique was applied to examine factors associated with the children’s health insurance status. These included socio-economic factors, migration factors, and health insurance-related factors.ResultsIt is found that 83.2% of the migrant children did not have health insurance. Factors associated with the health insurance status included age 12-14 years (Odds ratio (OR) 2.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-4.46), having a birth certificate (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.04-3.45), and plan of the family in the future to remain the child in Thailand (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.09-5.17). The primary carer’s factors that were important health insurance-related factors included having no legal work permit (OR 4.12, 95% CI 1.88-9.06), having health insurance (OR 8.51, 95% CI 3.93-18.41), little or no ability to communicate in Thai (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.14-0.66), and understanding the right of migrant children to purchase health insurance (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.52-4.34).ConclusionsThe findings point to the need for every migrant child to have a birth certificate, diminishing language barriers, and providing education and motivation about the need for health insurance for migrants and their accompanying dependents, especially children. For further studies, it is suggested to include migrant health insurance supply-side factors with qualitative analyses to understand how all the factors interactively determine the health insurance status of migrant children.

Return of migrant workers, educational investment in children and intergenerational mobility in China

The slowdown in China’s economic growth in the past decade has forced many migrant workers to return or plan to return to their rural hometowns temporarily. Extant studies on intergenerational mobility pay less attention to temporary migrant households. This paper investigates how migrant father’s return intention influences children’s educational outcomes and permanent incomes using a high-quality nationwide dataset of China (CLDS2012-2018). It finds that though there is no significant correlation between fathers’ and children’s educational attainments, the higher the return probability of the father, the less educational investment he would make in his child. This paper contributes to the literature in two ways: theoretically, it provides a new perspective to observe the intergenerational mobility of migrant workers; and methodologically, it corrects life cycle bias by controlling for the ages of fathers and children and using multi-year mean incomes.

Women who do not migrate: Intersectionality, social relations, and participation in Western Nepal

Migration impacts left-behind populations, disrupting established norms of social interaction, participation, and inclusion. In western Nepal, labour migration is common among young men, with implications for household and community participation among those left behind, who are predominately women. In this study, we use mixed methods to examine how labour migration impacts the social inclusion of migrant households, especially, of left-behind women in community groups and activities. For our analysis, we use quantitative survey data from over 3600 households in the Karnali and Mahakali River Basins of western Nepal and qualitative data from 16 focus group discussions and 37 in-depth interviews held in the same region. Our analysis reveals substantial heterogeneity in the experiences of women and households left behind by migrants. Women’s opportunities to participate in economic systems such as natural resource user committees and non-governmental organisation trainings are moderated by intersecting identities including gender, caste/ethnicity, kinship, age, and economic status. Young women from nuclear, low caste, and poor households with limited social ties suffer from disadvantaged positions and face restricted access to spaces of participation. Accordingly, left-behind women’s opportunities to benefit from community resources remain dependent on their caste and kinship networks. These findings contribute to ongoing debates on the impacts of migration, and can help inform improved targeting of interventions to advance gender equity in rural Nepal.

The impact of migration characteristics on rural migrant households' farmland use arrangements in China.

This paper investigates the impacts of migration characteristics on rural migrant households’ farmland use arrangements in China. The results reveal that trailing migration, duration of migration and the proportion of co-migrants have a significant effect on the probability of rural migrant households’ farmland abandonment. Commercial employment migration has a negative impact on the abandonment of farmland by migrant families. Migrant households are most likely to choose farmland abandonment in the western and middle regions of China and in small farmland areas. In the eastern region, and first tier and second tier Chinese cities, migrant households are more inclined to choose farmland transfer. Household earnings increase, which induces households to gradually give up the cultivation of farmland or to transfer farmland, constituting a mechanism in Chinese households’ farmland use arrangements. Notably, the consolidation of arable land should be the focus in areas of low economic development. Furthermore, an effective mechanism for the transfer of farmland should be established.

Priced out? Household migration out of “superstar” US city-regions

The high cost-of-living in “superstar” US metropolitan areas has become an area of increasing scholarly and policy concern. One question relates to whether low socioeconomic status (SES) and other historically disadvantaged residents are getting pushed out of these city-regions. To unpack what is occurring with respect to migration out of large expensive metros, I examine who is moving out of these areas in the US and where they are going. I use regression, coarsened exact matching, and latent class analysis to understand who is staying within large expensive US metros and who moves out of them, as well as what revealed preferences underlie these moves. I find evidence that lower SES households are slightly more likely to leave superstar US city-regions, though Black, Latinx, and immigrant households are less likely to leave than White and US-born households. Rather than leaving, many low SES households may instead continue to live in these areas while enduring increasingly crowded living arrangements and/or long commutes. The results also highlight substantial heterogeneity in where households go to once they move, suggesting migration out of these urban areas may be more complex than simply the push of high cost-of-living.