Standard of Living of Migrant and Non-Migrant Households in Kerala

A Comparative Study Based on Migration Survey 2018

Dados Bibliográficos

ID16913205
AutoresAfsal Kalangadan (0000-0002-8721-5746, International Institute for Population Sciences, autor correspondente), T Muhammad (0000-0003-1486-7038, International Institute for Population Sciences), Muhammad Rishad (International Institute for Population Sciences), Reshmi Ramachandran Sukumari (0000-0003-2551-0990, International Institute for Population Sciences)
Ano2024
Volume14
Fascículo3
Data de publicação2024-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
EditoraSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/21582440241273869
OpenAlexW4402897107
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas32

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in standard of living between households with migrants and households without migrants in Kerala, one of the most remittance-receiving states in India. Data from the Kerala Migration Survey (2018) was used for the study. The survey sampled 15,000 households, including both households with migrants and without migrants. Cross tabulation, standard living index, and ordered logistic regression analysis were used to examine the difference in living standards between households with migrants and without migrants. A total of 28.4% of households were with migrant and 71.6% were without migrant in this study. The proportion of households without migrants that fell below the poverty line (42.38%) was higher than the proportion of households with migrants (30.13%). A significant percentage of households with migrants (16.3% and 38.7%) lived in houses categorized as “luxurious” and “very good,” respectively, compared to households without migrants (10.4% and 27.8%, respectively). In addition, households with migrants allocated a larger budget for house construction, with costs exceeding ₹5 lakhs, compared to households without migrants. The proportion of households with migrants that owned consumer durables such as vehicles, home appliances, and electronic gadgets was also higher than their counterparts without migrants. In terms of standard of living, households with migrants had a significantly higher proportion of households with a better living standard than households without migrants. Further, households with migrants had a significantly higher likelihood of having a better standard of living than households without migrants (AOR: 1.729; CI: 1.609–1.858). This study highlights the significant positive impact of international migration on the living standard of households, including better housing quality and higher levels of ownership of consumer durables. These findings suggest that international migration can be a positive force for development, leading to improved standards of living for both households with migrants and non-migrants

Demographic economics · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Immigration · Migrant workers · Political science · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Standard of living · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy · Social and Economic Development in India