Social Networks and Migration

Yale University, New Haven CT

Investigators

Abstract

This research project will use experimental methods to study whether programs connecting new migrants to experienced migrants outside their social networks can improve migration outcomes. While migration is among the most effective strategies to improve the functioning of labor markets and reduce poverty, many individuals, particularly vulnerable ones, face large barriers to profitable migration opportunities. As a result, labor shortages exist in one part of a country/region while high unemployment rates exist in other parts, thus slowing economic growth and increasing poverty. The project will leverage an on-going field experiment in a high-migration region to evaluate a migration mentorship program. The innovatively designed experiment will help to answer whether policies that leverage social networks and support systems can help people migrate to better opportunities, with many potential applications to many regions, including wealthier regions of the world. The results of this research project will help to improve the functioning of domestic and international labor markets, hence increase economic growth, and reduce poverty in the U.S. and globally. This project will generate experimental evidence on the effects of changes in social network structure on migration. The project will make use of an existing phone sample in a high-circular-migration region of Nepal. It will randomly assign 2,000 potential migrants to receive one of three interventions or a control condition. The interventions are: (1) standard information on migration opportunities delivered by program staff; (2) standard information on migration opportunities plus idiosyncratic information delivered by an experienced migrant from their locality; and (3) intervention (2) plus multiple 1-1 meetings and the opportunity to migrate with an experienced migrant from their locality. The researchers will collect additional data on 2,000 potential migrants in the social networks of these potential program recipients. They will conduct six rounds of phone surveys before the intervention, during the intervention period, during the migration season, and after the migration season. These surveys will track changes in beliefs and attitudes towards migration to various destinations, migration and migration experiences, earnings and remittances, and the welfare of family members at home. The results of this research will provide inputs into policies to improve the functioning of domestic and international labor markets, hence increase economic growth, and reduce poverty in the U.S. and globally. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.