Description:
This paper provides a review of the
literature on the development impact of migration and
remittances on origin countries and on destination countries
in the South. International migration is an ever-growing
phenomenon that has important development implications for
both sending and receiving countries. For a sending country,
migration and the resulting remittances lead to increased
incomes and poverty reduction, and improved health and
educational outcomes, and promote economic development. Yet
these gains might come at substantial social costs to the
migrants and their families. Since many developing countries
are also large recipients of international migrants, they
face challenges of integration of immigrants, job
competition between migrant and native workers, and fiscal
costs associated with provision of social services to the
migrants. This paper also summarizes incipient discussions
on the impacts of migration on climate change, democratic
values, demographics, national identity, and security. In
conclusion, the paper highlights a few policy
recommendations calling for better integration of migration
in development policies in the South and the North,
improving data collection on migration and remittance flows,
leveraging remittances for improving access to finance of
recipient households and countries, improving recruitment
mechanisms, and facilitating international labor mobility
through safe and legal channels.