Volume 16, 2007

Issue N. 1

Asuncion Fresnoza-Flot and Antoine Pécoud

"Emergence of Entrepreneurship Among Filipino Migrants in Paris,"  Vol. 16 (1), pp. 1-28, 2007
 

This article documents the emergence of self-employment among Filipino migrants in Paris, a pattern of economic incorporation that departs from the predominance of Filipinos in the domestic work sector in Western Europe. After presenting the characteristics of Filipino migration to France, the article describes the embeddedness of Filipino entrepreneurship in different kinds of networks that structure the Filipino population. Findings suggest that Filipino entrepreneurship is part of overlapping networks based not only upon national origin, but also on regional belongings, class, religion and sexual orientation. Conflicts often characterize the relationship between these networks. Other than relying on Filipino networks, success in self-employment also requires strong ties to other groups, as well as transnational connections. Factors affecting the future prospects of self-employment are also discussed.

Yao Lu
"Educational Status of Temporary Migrant Children in China: Determinants and Regional Variations,"  Vol. 16 (1), pp. 29-55, 2007
 

This paper examines the educational status of temporary migrant children in China, using a unique data set specifically designed to study this population across a wide range of migration destinations. The determinants of migrant children’s schooling at both the micro-level (child- and family-level) and macro-level (city-level) were examined using multiple measures of schooling to provide a more complete picture. Emphasis has been placed on gender gap and city-level variations. Results show that household composition, family size and economic conditions are all strong predictors of migrant children’s schooling. Based on contrasting children pairs within households using fixed-effect models, the study found no gender gap in migrant child-ren’s schooling, despite the persistent son preference in the rural areas where migrants came from. Importantly, variations across city-specific contexts are evident: migrant children in more coastal regions and in destinations with high levels of development and high concentration of migrants are especially disadvantaged, presumably due to the more restrictive migration controls in such areas. Results are shown to be robust to outliers, potential confounders as well as different proxy measures of migration controls.

Fei Guo
"Fertility Behaviors of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China,"  Vol. 16 (1), pp. 57-79, 2007

This study deals with the fertility behaviors of migrants in China. Based on fieldwork carried out in migrants’ current community in Beijing and their home villages in Henan province, the study examined how culture and practices shaped in their home villages and urban influences bear on migrants’ fertility behaviors. Findings from the study confirm the results of previous quantitative studies. Under current social conditions in China, it is unrealistic to expect any drastic changes in migrants’ fertility patterns. The factors that brought down the fertility of urban residents, such as old-age pension and opportunities for social mobility, are not available to migrants. Overall, migration per se has no significant impact on migrants’ fertility behaviors.
 

Ming Tsui
"Free Market Reform in China and the Labor Migration of Chinese Seafarers,"  Vol. 16 (1), pp. 81-100, 2007

Focusing on a group of Chinese men who intend to work on foreign-owned, seagoing cargo ships, this article examines the demographics and motivations of these migrant workers. The study found that the trainees were more likely to be from rural areas than from cities and that significantly more trainees were residents of inland provinces than coastal provinces. The trainees tend to be young, well educated, and financially better off than average Chinese workers. Viewed in terms of the main economic theories of labor migration, Chinese government policy, and China’s free market reform, the findings suggest that in the case of China, international, as well as internal, labor migration is influenced more by government migration policy and institutional changes under market reform than by individual motivations and job opportunities.

Ho Hon Leung
"The Road Less Taken: The Settlement of Chinese Immigrants in Small Towns,"  Vol. 16 (1), pp. 101-120, 2007
 

The purpose of this paper is to study the settlement process of Chinese immigrants in small towns in the United States. The process includes three stages: initial settlement, adaptation, and permanent settlement. The analytical framework used to analyze these immigrants’ experience is based on the concept of “familial-to-familiar.” Using a qualitative approach, findings from the study suggest that family ties are one of the main reasons why Chinese immigrants choose to move to small towns. Regardless of how long they have lived in these towns, many interviewees do not feel that they are permanently settled until certain conditions are met: career development, purchase of a house and family reunification. The settlement process also varies by gender and socio-economic background.

RESEARCH NOTE
 

AKM Ahsan Ullah and Pranab Kumar Panday
"Remitting Money to Bangladesh: What Do Migrants Prefer?,"  Vol. 16 (1), pp. 121-137, 2007

This paper looks into the remittance channels used by Bangladeshi labor migrants in Hong Kong and Malaysia and examines the reasons why they prefer particular modes of money transfer. Data were collected from 126 respondents (56 in Hong Kong and 70 in Malaysia) through a survey conducted during June 2004 to October 2005. An overwhelming majority of migrants preferred unofficial over official channels in transferring money. According to migrants, the informal channels are quicker in transferring money and the exchange rate is higher than the formal channels. They recognized though that there is a considerable amount of risk in remitting through informal channels.