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Amid the pandemic, the quality of international higher education has seen a decline, due in part to the challenges posed by online classes, and the behaviour associated with international student mobility (ISM) is deemed to present significant health risks. Most of the existing research primarily focuses on examining the impact of the pandemic on students' mobility experiences, with little consideration given to the influence of family in the educational migration process in these unique circumstances. Through semi-structured interviews with 18 Chinese postgraduates enrolled in UK universities during 2020–2021, this study reveals that familial connections in the host country have become significant determinants for migration decisions during the pandemic. Additionally, it underlines the reciprocal nature of migration decisions, with individual migration behaviour impacting the lives of their family members, leading to behavioural changes driven by the principles of 'responsibility' and 'solidarity.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective: Methods: Results: Conclusion: This study comparatively examined the individual‐ and country‐level factors influencing migration decisions of Africans using large‐scale cross‐sectional data from 34 African countries.Employing a multilevel analysis technique, specifically hierarchical linear modeling (HML), this study addresses design, methodological, and analytical limitations in the existing literature.At the individual level, gender, age, education, foreign exposure, sense of nationality, fear of violence, discrimination, economic management, and income and salary issues significantly predicted migration decisions. Male citizens, those with post‐secondary education, urban residents, individuals with a strong sense of nationality, and those fearful of extremism were more likely to consider relocation. Citizens who experienced religious and disability discrimination and those who believed that economic management and salary/income were major problems were also more inclined to migrate. Conversely, citizens aged 66 years or older and those who were fearful of violence were less likely to relocate. At the country level, gross domestic product (GDP) and regional location were important factors, with citizens from countries with higher GDPs and those located in southern Africa being less likely to consider migration.The findings contribute to theory building on African migration and provide insights for developing policies to address the challenges posed by international migration, particularly in western Africa. This study recommends a comprehensive approach to economic management, investment in education and vocational training, anti‐discrimination measures, and targeted strategies for high‐migration regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ImportanceIn Myanmar, amid political and civil unrest, droves of Burmese are displaced to neighboring countries including Thailand. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about the available healthcare services and health and well-being among refugees and migrant workers within resettlement areas along the Myanmar-Thailand border.ObjectiveTo explore the unmet needs of migrants along the Thailand-Myanmar border during the COVID-19 pandemic and their reasons for leaving Myanmar.DesignA qualitative study that used focus groups with migrant schoolteachers and school masters was undertaken. An interpretative analysis approach was used to analyze the data from the focus group sessions. The study followed the COREQ (COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative) checklist.SettingIn July 2022, community stakeholders from migrant schools located in the vicinity of Mae Sot, Thailand were referred to the study team.ParticipantsA purposive sample of 17 adult participants was recruited from 4 migrant schools. The participants were schoolteachers and schoolmasters who had traveled from Myanmar to Thailand 1 to 20 years ago.Main outcomes and measuresThematic analysis was used to scrutinize qualitative data for the outcomes of health and well-being, barriers, and reasons for migration.ResultsThree main themes were identified: "issues related to the pandemic", "teenage marriage and pregnancies" and "migration decisions". The issues related to the pandemic included behavior changes in children, a diminished quality of education, and barriers to receiving COVID-19 vaccines and accessing other health care. There were more dropouts due to teenage pregnancy/marriage during the shelter in place mandate. Migration decisions were affected by concerns over health, civil unrest, and military harassment.Conclusions and relevanceThis study presented the difficulties experienced by Myanmar migrants currently living along the Thailand-Myanmar border. The reasons for leaving Myanmar included health and safety. Suspending education during the pandemic caused more school dropouts due to teenage pregnancy/marriage. Additionally, behavioral changes in children, a diminished quality of education, barriers to receiving COVID-19 vaccines and access to other health care services were reported. Future studies should focus on how migration stress and access to mental health care impact the migrant population.

This article investigates non-migration of fishermen communities living adjacent to the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. While analysing the regular livelihood patterns of these communities, this article explores a symbiotic relationship among livelihoods, risks, and natural resources in understanding fishermen's choice of locations in the vulnerable areas. We have adopted a mixed method approach in conducting questionnaire survey, interviews, and focus group discussion at household level. We have employed a triangulation system in the study, i.e. collected data from different sources to compare and then used diverse methods to check whether the information was consistent. Upon analysing the data obtained from field investigation, it can be concluded that the critical relationships exist among livelihoods, risks, and immobility of fishermen community in the Sundarbans. Therefore, fishing households' non-migration can be explained in-between voluntary and in-voluntary decision-making process. The study claims that the decision-making process depends on a symbiotic relationship between livelihoods, vulnerability, and natural resources management. The findings reveal that fishing households utilise assets and opportunities to build a blended livelihood strategies including natural resource extraction; diversifying income sources; borrowing and investment; asset pooling; and building social capital. Finally, this study concludes that this process of combining and transforming different assets for livelihood strategies can be explained as an autonomous adaptation process in the face of climate change. Particularly, the study accomplishes that this autonomous adaptation process defines the nature and dynamics of non-migration strategies of fishing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emigration of the second generation to the origin country of their parents raises new questions on migratory causes, identity, home and belonging. Addressing such questions, this study aims to shed further light on the impact of having a second-generation migration background on a person's own migration decisions and experiences. Based on 25 qualitative interviews with Moroccan Dutch who emigrated from the Netherlands to Morocco at adult ages, the current study shows how employment opportunities, prospects of a better quality of life and the search for belonging and self-expression are main factors influencing the decision of the second generation to emigrate to their ancestral home country. Each of these factors appears to some extent linked to the specific position of the second generation. The findings further illustrate how international migration uncovers a certain fluidity in the identity of the second generation: while emigration to Morocco for many Moroccan Dutch in certain ways seems to have contributed to a sense of belonging, in other aspects of life, the impact of socialization in the Netherlands remains visible in their behavior, orientation and preferences. As such, our study demonstrates the unique position of second-generation emigrants and provides new ways of thinking about transnationalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research conducts a disaggregation of three major temporal interrelations – age, period, and cohort (APC) – to fully grasp variations in intercity migration propensity in China. Using repeated cross-sectional data from the Sixth Population Census in 2010 and the 1% Population Sampling Surveys in 2005 and 2015, we disentangle APC effects on the two-stage migration decision-making process through the Hierarchical APC model. The empirical findings are as follows: the likelihood of migration decreases as individuals age, persisting until their early 60s, after which a slight upward trend is observed. Migrants from the 1940–1985 cohorts exhibit an increasing propensity for migration, which later reverses in subsequent cohorts. However, the average intercity migration propensity does not significantly vary across periods. Furthermore, the decision of where to migrate – whether to move across provincial boundaries – also varies across APC factors. The propensity for interprovincial migration steadily declines with age. The contextual period effects are significant and partially result from the development of foreign-invested enterprises. Individuals born in the 1960s and 1970s are more likely to migrate interprovincially compared to their post-1980s counterparts. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of these results. Our findings shed light on more nuanced mechanisms underlying the dynamics of intercity migration in China, particularly the effects of cohort replacement on migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data set explores the driving factors of migration of rural people to the cities. Primary data were collected purposively from 172 farm households from three upazilas of kishoreganj district in Bangladesh. Among 172 households, 89 households had at least one migrant member and 83 households were without any migrant member. Probit model was used to analyze factors of migration decision at the household level. Data set reveals that various factors motivate the decision of the farm households for their member to move into the city. Among which household head age, number of active male member in the family and value of the household asset holding significantly influence migration decision. Beside econometric analysis, household's perception on different motivating factors of migration was also assessed. Most of the households perceived that too many family members, poor living condition, migrant's family influence and job availability in the city mostly motivate the people for migration into the city along with other driving factors.

Importance: In Myanmar, amid political and civil unrest, droves of Burmese are displaced to neighboring countries including Thailand. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about the available healthcare services and health and well-being among refugees and migrant workers within resettlement areas along the Myanmar-Thailand border. Objective: To explore the unmet needs of migrants along the Thailand-Myanmar border during the COVID-19 pandemic and their reasons for leaving Myanmar. Design: A qualitative study that used focus groups with migrant schoolteachers and school masters was undertaken. An interpretative analysis approach was used to analyze the data from the focus group sessions. The study followed the COREQ (COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative) checklist. Setting: In July 2022, community stakeholders from migrant schools located in the vicinity of Mae Sot, Thailand were referred to the study team. Participants: A purposive sample of 17 adult participants was recruited from 4 migrant schools. The participants were schoolteachers and schoolmasters who had traveled from Myanmar to Thailand 1 to 20 years ago. Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s): Thematic analysis was used to scrutinize qualitative data for the outcomes of health and well-being, barriers, and reasons for migration. Results: Three main themes were identified: “issues related to the pandemic”, “teenage marriage and pregnancies” and ''migration decisions''. The issues related to the pandemic included behavior changes in children, a diminished quality of education, and barriers to receiving COVID-19 vaccines and accessing other health care. There were more dropouts due to teenage pregnancy/marriage during the shelter in place mandate. Migration decisions were affected by concerns over health, civil unrest, and military harassment. Conclusions and Relevance: This study presented the difficulties experienced by Myanmar migrants currently living along the Thailand-Myanmar border. The reasons for leaving Myanmar included health and safety. Suspending education during the pandemic caused more school dropouts due to teenage pregnancy/marriage. Additionally, behavioral changes in children, a diminished quality of education, barriers to receiving COVID-19 vaccines and access to other health care services were reported. Future studies should focus on how migration stress and access to mental health care impact the migrant population.

This article explores why Chinese nationals move to the United Kingdom and continue to stay there illegally, even in recent years, when China has witnessed significant economic growth and the United Kingdom has been increasingly hostile towards irregular migrants. Using a biographical approach to study irregular migration, this article elicits migrants' life histories and considers their migration as part of their biographies and as related to other key life events. By reconstructing the biographies of three irregular Chinese migrants in the United Kingdom, this article argues that their migration is a way to escape from personal sufferings (negative childhood experiences and intimate relationship dissolutions) and a means of orienting themselves in a mobile social world. This article provides new insights into the field of irregular migration that remains dominated by economic rationalist perspectives, and it also helps to undermine the artificial dichotomy between voluntary and forced migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan welcomes highly educated migrants, but do these migrants stay on in Japan? Drawing on a web survey of 600 immigrant employees working in Japan, this paper evaluates different factors influencing migrants' stay and leave intentions. The results indicate that economic and employment-related reasons have limited impact on migrants' stay intentions. Nationalities also predict migrants' varied willingness to stay in Japan, indicating the blurring boundary between economic and cultural logics of migration. Among all factors, marrying locals provides the strongest incentive to stay, demonstrating again that affective and social ties exercise the most power in anchoring the migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent migration waves from countries ruled by leaders with autocratic tendencies or under war regimes included also the forced migration of academics who have become targets of widening severe attacks against academic-scientific values, institutions, and students/scholars (GCP EA). Based on empirical research, this paper studies the forced migration of scholars from such countries to Germany after 2015. While putting theoretical concepts deriving from distinct study fields (such as forced migration and exile studies) into a dialog, the paper perceives the migration of these scholars as forced due to risks they encountered in their home countries. It also addresses the complexity of their forced migration as a multidimensional and relational process involving various structural and subjective push-pull drives. In line with the empirical data and post-structuralist theories on migration and forced migration, the paper pursues the following theses: Risks and responses against risks are varied and involve the agency of migrants. Although forced migration is a regulated process concerning migration regimes and laws, it calls for the performance/agency of exiled scholars and other actors' governing activities. As a complex and transformative process, forced migration results in different exilic positions. It is not a predetermined linear process in time and space, but a process with unexpected outcomes, since it entails the ongoing struggle of exiled scholars over/through their academic and social networks and capitals, which function as mediating-pulling drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to answer whether expected occupational gains motivated rural-urban and rural-rural migration in nineteenth-century Norway. Human capital theory indicates that the higher expected gains, the more prone an individual will be to migrate. We use a micro-level data set of over 42,000 rural sons linked to their fathers based on 1865 and 1900 Norwegian censuses and employ a switching endogenous regression model controlling for the endogeneity of migration decisions. Our main finding is that the effect of expected occupational gain on the probability of rural-urban migration differs according to the rural sons' destination and parental occupational status: the sons from low status families were migrating motivated by expected occupational advancement. Sons from families with higher occupational status were motivated by expected occupational gains only in the case of rural-urban migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ethiopia, most studies that were conducted so far on irregular cross-border migration are often tended to omit examining the relative weights of crucial factors associated with origin and destination countries, and personal attributes of the migrants that made evidence remained inconclusive for decision making. The study explored the major driving pull-push factors predicting irregular cross-border migration decision among 402 international returnees randomly drawn from Addis Ababa based on a cross-sectional survey to provide scientific evidence on the issue. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression models were used to analyze the data. Majority of the returnees (90%) concurred that economic factors took the most leading share in compelling the respondents to migrate in irregular manner. Socio-cultural and socio-political factors at abroad and homeland made the first and the second greatest contributions on irregular migration decision with the values of (ß = .403; and ß = .381) respectively at (p = 0.000<0.001). Meanwhile, nevertheless, the decision to migrate was influenced by situations in both the destination and the origin areas, the findings of the present study illuminated that the decision to migrate is robustly more predicted by conditions in the former areas than conditions in the latter ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does governmental policy shape potential migrants' destination choices? Chinese cities use the household registration (hukou) system to adjust the barriers to gaining local status and access to public services and social welfare benefits. We draw on a nationally representative survey of migrants and an original survey experiment to test the effect of hukou-related barriers and benefits on the relative appeal of different destination cities. We find that strict limits on acquiring local hukou status do not deter migrants. However, local hukou status is important because it confers access to public services and social welfare benefits. Cities where migrants can gain access to such services and benefits without changing their hukou status are more appealing. These findings demonstrate that hukou policy has real impacts on migration patterns and on access to public services and social welfare benefits for millions of Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the effect of the state's decision to grant or reject a residence permit on asylum seekers? Relying on repeated surveys with recently arrived asylum seekers to Sweden, we examine what seems to be a random migration decision from the perspective of the asylum seekers to evaluate how the "limbo" nature of the waiting period, and the subsequent rejection or acceptance, shapes asylum seekers' life satisfaction, health, horizontal trust in Swedes, and vertical trust in Swedish institutions. The migration decision meaningfully affects not only their well-being, but also shapes their attitudes towards the host country's institutions and people: "acceptance" yields positive evaluations of their personal lives and the host country, while "rejection" renders the opposite. Importantly, few differences in evaluations emerge between those in "limbo" and those denied. As potential future members of the state, these findings inform our understanding of how the migration decision is meaningful for asylum seekers' experiences with exclusion and inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps) has two separate populations: one sedentary, which resides in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands and one migratory that overwinters mainly in the Pampas region (Argentina) and breeds in Southern Patagonia (Argentina and Chile). The migratory population has decreased considerably to less than 800 individuals and is categorised as Endangered in Argentina and Chile. Knowing the dates at which birds leave the wintering grounds might help to predict the arrival date at stopover sites and breeding areas. We aimed to examine the effect of meteorological conditions on the decision of Ruddy-headed Geese to start spring migration and their migration strategy. We used data from six adults, equipped with satellite transmitters, over 4 years (2015–2018), giving 12 individual departure dates. Weather conditions on departure dates were compared with that during the 15 preceding days. We tested the influence of weather conditions on the response variable measured as a comparison of pre-migration dates versus departure dates. Our results showed that Ruddy-headed Geese departure from their wintering grounds is in association with high wind speed, good visibility and low percentage of cloud cover. The relationship between meteorological conditions and the species decision to start spring migration is essential information for future management plans to prevent potential human-sheldgeese conflicts to escalate along their migration route. Recommendations for the conservation of this species that include implementing mitigation measures to reduce bird collision at human infrastructure, could be applied more specifically during the periods when birds are expected to arrive in each area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a vital source of the demographic dividend, migrant workers living in urban villages have positively contributed to urban economic development and the improvement of urbanization. Although urban villages have had a great impact on public health due to the shabby environments and poor public safety, the large-scale demolition of the urban villages, the supply of affordable housing for migrant workers has decreased drastically, which may lead to the outflow of many migrant workers and consequently affects the sustainable operations of cities. Therefore, this paper takes Hangzhou as an example to study the impact of urban village redevelopment on migrant workers and their migration decisions during urban village redevelopment process. The finding indicates that migrant workers are significantly impacted by large-scale demolition. (1) The number of affected migrant workers is huge. For example, 657,000 migrant workers who lived in around 178 urban villages are affected in Hangzhou (34,468 households). (2) The increase in rent is obvious. (3) Strong expulsion effect: nearly 1/3 migrant workers will decide to leave the city because of the demolition. Furthermore, our binary logistic regression model suggests that the commuting time, living satisfactory, and the rent affordability are factors significantly affecting migration workers' decision to leave and stay in the city. The housing quality and comfort indicators are not significant. This indicates that convenience for employment and high rent avoidance are the major characteristics of migrant workers' housing choice. Hence, in addition to considering whether the harsh environment is harmful to the public health of urban and residents, the interest and characteristics of migrant workers should be considered during the current urban village demolition process. While simply demolishing urban villages, government needs to provide a relatively sufficient amount of low-cost and affordable housing for migrant workers in case migrant workers leave the city in large numbers due to lack of suitable housing in the city.

Copyright of Acta Medicinae et Sociologica (AMS) is the property of University of Debrecen and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We used data collected from a face-to-face interview survey of 395 randomly selected farm households in Central Nepal's Chitwan district to understand the migration decision-making processes and migration destination choices. This district was chosen because it represents the microcosm of whole Nepal due to the presence of migratory population from all over the country within the tropical and sub-tropical climatic districts. We used probit and multinomial logit regression models to discern the individual and family migration decision-making behaviors and to understand what determines the choice of migration destinations. Results suggested that migration decision-making is based on (a) the presence of a large number of young males in the family; (b) having fewer males with secondary education; (c) having more females with secondary education; and (d) higher household wealth. These 'a–d'factors positively affect migration decision-making. Destination choice is generally dictated by individual characteristics and the economic potential of a destination site. Young, unmarried, male heads of families with a relatively large number of adult males but relatively low land holdings and wealth status choose Malaysia; older people from families with a fewer number of educated females and low land holdings choose India, and relatively less-educated females from families with less-educated heads of households but higher land holdings choose the Gulf Cooperation Council countries as their migration destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Social Policy Issues / Problemy Polityki Społecznej is the property of Faculty of Political Sciences & International Studies at University of Warsaw and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The main research objective was to explore the causes and nature of the char peoples’ migration decisions due to their livelihood vulnerabilities related to climate change and natural disasters in Bangladesh. Based on a mixed method approach, this study employed a multimethod data collection approach including face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, in-depth case studies, community mapping, and participant observations. The study was conducted on 28 chars in the three Northern Districts that is, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Pabna. Results showed that the char people encountered multiple causes assorted with climate change and natural disasters, as well as socio-economic vulnerabilities that reinforced their decision to migrate from one char to another char. The study found that floods, river bank erosion, lack of employment, and fiscal deficits were prominent factors for their migration. These findings provide an important guideline for the governmental and non-governmental organizations working in disaster prevention, policy makers, and development practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]