Human development and international migration: Lessons from low- and middle-income countries

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Abstract

This paper analyses the relationship between human development and migration. In particular, it tests whether migration, as a function of human development, follows an inverted U-shaped curve, known as mobility transition. Understanding this relationship is important since many Western politicians have implemented socioeconomic development strategies in migrant source countries with the aim to reduce migration. Considering that previous studies have mainly concentrated on the economic factors of development, this study introduces the broader human development index, determined by income, health and education, as the main explanatory variable. Analysing the rate of migration from 111 low- and middle-income countries into the aggregate of 15 OECD countries between 2000 and 2010, the study finds strong support for the inverted U-shaped relationship between human development and migration. This indicates that development strategies aimed at reducing migration are misguided.

Keywords: Human Development, Migration, Mobility Transition

Authors’ individual contribution: the author is responsible for all the contributions to the paper according to CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) standards.

JEL Classification: F500, J600, O200

Received: 08.05.2019
Accepted: 08.07.2019
Published online: 09.07.2019

How to cite this paper: Decrinis, L. (2019). Human development and international migration: Lessons from low- and middle-income countries. Journal of Governance & Regulation, 8(3), 8-23. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgr_v8_i3_p1