An empirical study of the factors that motivate Sri Lankan professionals to migrate to Qatar
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22010053 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anoji Ekanayake (0000-0001-6229-6888, University of Colombo), Anoji Punchikumari Ekanayake (University of Colombo), Kopalapillai Amirthalingam (University of Colombo) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 403-420 |
| Publication date | 2021-10-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Migration and Development (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2163-2324 • E-ISSN: 2163-2332 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1080/21632324.2019.1665923 |
| OpenAlex | W2973048246 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 4 |
Traditionally, countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have been the most preferred destination for professional migrants from Sri Lanka. However, with the boom in the petroleum industry of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the 1970s, the Gulf has increasingly become an appealing destination for Sri Lankan professional migrants. Among Gulf countries, Qatar is the most common destination. A combination of various factors motivates highly-skilled Sri Lankan workers to migrate to the GCC in general and Qatar in particular. The primary objective of this paper is to analyse these factors. The study is based on primary data gathered via in-depth interviews with 12 key informants and an online survey of 125 professionals. The sample for the questionnaire was selected using a combination of non-probability methods and the data gathered was analysed using a mixed methodology. The study identifies that among the numerous factors that influence Sri Lankan professionals to migrate to the GCC, the tax-free salary which the respondents believe to be higher than the disposable income they can earn in OECD countries is the primary reason for migrating to a Gulf country over OECD countries. The study also identifies that whereas quality-of-life-related factors play a key role in the migration decision to OECD countries, income-related factors are the most crucial in migrating to GCC nations
Business · Developing country · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Political science · Salary · Socioeconomics · Sri lanka · Diaspora, migration, transnational identity · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Refugees, and Integration
Impact of migration of Sri Lankan professionals to Qatar on skill acquisition and brain drain
Itinerant labour
Perceptions of Professionals on Income Tax Reforms and Their Impact on Brain Drain in Sri Lanka
The dynamic of stepwise migrations of Nepalese high-skilled migrants via the Middle East
The drivers and trajectories of Nepalese multiple migrations to the Arab Gulf
Drivers of return of Sri Lankan migrants in the skill spectrum from the Gulf region
| Citations per year | 1.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2022 - 2025 (4) |
| Highly cited | No |