The macro picture: the feminization of international migration?

1. The macro picture: the feminization of international migration? Juan Carlos Guzmán PRMGE

2. Objectives • How international migration flows have changed over time for males and females for some key countries • How the major factors to migrate differ for men and women at the macro level.

3. Countries and data sources

4. Percentage of female migrants by region % Source: United Nations (2006). Trends in Total Migrant Stock: The 2005 Revision.

5. Percentage of female migrants in the US by region of origin %

6. Percentage of female migrants in the Germany by region of origin %

7. Percentage of female migrants in Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom by region: 1985–1999

8. Percentage of female migrants in the Australia by region of origin

9. Summary • Given the data of the United Nations, it can be concluded that there has not been much of a global feminization of migration flows; • However, some regions have experienced different trends • In general, flows from Africa, South Asia and the Middle East tend to be more male-dominated • Flows from East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America and Caribbean tend to be more female-dominated.

10. Economic Incentives and Networks • Income Differentials between countries attracts migrants. • Networks reduce the cost of migration.  • If migration depends on income differentials between origin and destination countries, one would expect a positive relationship between migration and income differentials. • If migrant flows depend on the size of networks available to the migrant in the destination country, then migration will become higher as more people migrate. • The importance of income differentials and networks might be different for men and women

11. Determinants of the propensity to migrate to United States

12. Determinants of the propensity to migrate to Australia

13. Conclusions • Given the data of the United Nations, it can be concluded that there has not much of a global feminization of migration flows; • However, certain countries and regions have experienced different trends • In general, flows from Africa, South Asia and the Middle East tend to be more male-dominated • Flows from East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America and Caribbean tend to be more female-dominated.

14. Conclusions • Economic and network factors that influence the propensity to migrate for males and females vary for men and women • In the U.S. case, the results indicate that male flows are driven more by economic factors than those of women. However, the positive response of female migrants to the stock of females in the short-term might show the increasing importance of female networks for females economic migration. • In the Australian case, migration is strongly driven by the migrant population already living there. However, in the short-term the female stock affects positively the propensity to migrate for both men and women. Indicating an increasing importance of female migration.