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Is Subjective Well-Being of Concern to Potential Migrants from Latin America?

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  • Namrata Chindarkar

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of life satisfaction on intention to migrate abroad using survey data on 18 Latin American countries. Three key findings emerge that support life satisfaction as a significant driver of intention to migrate abroad. First, the findings suggest that reporting high life satisfaction is negatively associated with intention to migrate abroad controlling for education and other background factors. Second, I find a consistently negative and significant effect of the interaction between high life satisfaction and education suggesting that more educated individuals reporting high life satisfaction are less likely to consider migrating abroad as compared to more educated individuals reporting low life satisfaction. And third, even after controlling for consumption and relative deprivation the negative effect of the high life satisfaction and education interaction term on intention to migrate abroad remains statistically significant suggesting that international migration decisions of those with higher education are not solely driven by economic motives. In addition, I find that those who are highly educated (college and higher) are more likely to consider migrating abroad, holding life satisfaction, consumption, and relative deprivation constant, mainly due to weak economic outlook of and low wages in the home country. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

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  • Namrata Chindarkar, 2014. "Is Subjective Well-Being of Concern to Potential Migrants from Latin America?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 159-182, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:115:y:2014:i:1:p:159-182
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-012-0213-7
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    Cited by:

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    3. Jiří Balcar & Jan Šulák, 2021. "Urban environmental quality and out-migration intentions," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 66(3), pages 579-607, June.
    4. Amany A. El Anshasy & Mrittika Shamsuddin & Marina-Selini Katsaiti, 2023. "Financial Wellbeing and International Migration Intentions: Evidence from Global Surveys," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(7), pages 2261-2289, October.
    5. Artjoms Ivlevs, 2015. "Happy Moves? Assessing the Link between Life Satisfaction and Emigration Intentions," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(3), pages 335-356, August.
    6. Aurelian-Petruș Plopeanu & Daniel Homocianu & Nelu Florea & Ovidiu-Aurel Ghiuță & Dinu Airinei, 2019. "Comparative Patterns of Migration Intentions: Evidence from Eastern European Students in Economics from Romania and Republic of Moldova," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-21, September.
    7. Z. Eylem Gevrek & Pinar Kunt & Heinrich W. Ursprung, 2021. "Education, political discontent, and emigration intentions: evidence from a natural experiment in Turkey," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 563-585, March.
    8. Neda Hashemi & Maryam Marzban & Bernadette Sebar & Neil Harris, 2021. "Perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among Middle Eastern migrants in Australia: The moderating role of perceived social support," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(2), pages 110-119, March.
    9. Elena Samarsky, 2020. "Who is Thinking of Leaving Germany? The Role of Postmaterialism, Risk Attitudes, and Life-Satisfaction on Emigration Intentions of German Nationals," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1066, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. Luciana Méndez, 2020. "So Dissatisfied to Leave? The Role of Perceptions, Expectations and Beliefs on Youths’ Intention to Migrate: Evidence from a Developing Country," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 2981-3006, December.
    11. Artjoms Ivlevs, 2014. "Happy moves? Assessing the impact of subjective well-being on the emigration decision," Working Papers 20141402, Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol.
    12. Carol Graham, 2015. "A Review of William Easterly's The Tyranny of Experts: Economists, Dictators, and the Forgotten Rights of the Poor," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 53(1), pages 92-101, March.
    13. Quy Van Khuc & Minh-Hoang Nguyen & Tam-Tri Le & Truc-Le Nguyen & Thuy Nguyen & Hoang Khac Lich & Quan-Hoang Vuong, 2022. "Brain Drain out of the Blue: Pollution-Induced Migration in Vietnam," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-20, March.
    14. Mrittika Shamsuddin & Marina-Selini Katsaiti, 2020. "Migration and Happiness: Evidence from Germany," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 2931-2955, December.
    15. Milasi Santo, 2020. "What Drives Youth’s Intention to Migrate Abroad? Evidence from International Survey Data," IZA Journal of Development and Migration, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-30, January.
    16. Chenevier, Randall & Piper, Alan T. & Willis, Craig, 2021. "Migration, crime and life satisfaction in Chile: Pre and post-migration evidence," MPRA Paper 106502, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Xueqiong Zhou & Wenhao Feng, 2023. "Investigating the Impact of Demographic and Personal Variables on Post-Retirement Migration Intention of Rural Residents: Evidence from Inner Mongolia, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-17, September.
    18. Luciana Méndez, 2017. "So dissatisfied to leave? The role of perceptions, expectations and beliefs on youths' intention to migrate," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 17-12, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    19. Artjoms Ivlevs, 2014. "Happiness and the emigration decision," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-96, October.
    20. repec:grz:wpsses:2021-07 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. David Bartram, 2015. "Inverting the Logic of Economic Migration: Happiness Among Migrants Moving from Wealthier to Poorer Countries in Europe," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1211-1230, October.
    22. Stöhr, Christian, 2022. "The Effect of Micro-Entrepreneurship on Migration Plans of Young Adults in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediating Role of Subjective and Economic Well-Being," Junior Management Science (JUMS), Junior Management Science e. V., vol. 7(5), pages 1326-1360.
    23. Bellaumay, Rémy, 2023. "Migration for Happiness?," Notes de l'Observatoire du bien-être 2316b, CEPREMAP.

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