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To Migrate With or Without the Children—A Theoretical Note

Author

Listed:
  • Yiwen Chen

    (CREA, Université du Luxembourg)

  • Benteng Zou

    (CREA, Université du Luxembourg)

Abstract

Tens of millions of young children were left behind by their migrant parents who left to find a job elsewhere to gain a better income and improve their families’ living standards. Many studies suggest that migrant parents should bring their children rather than leave them behind, especially EU internal migrants. In this short note, we give an economic reasoning for the choice of migrant parents. Our finding shows that emotionally, bringing the children makes both children and parents better off; however, economically, that may not be the case. The ambiguity depends on the forgone opportunity cost, relocation cost of children, children’s motivation, and the quality of the public school at the origin and destination

Suggested Citation

  • Yiwen Chen & Benteng Zou, 2016. "To Migrate With or Without the Children—A Theoretical Note," DEM Discussion Paper Series 16-21, Department of Economics at the University of Luxembourg.
    • Handle: RePEc:luc:wpaper:16-21
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. AfDB AfDB, . "AfDB Group Annual Report 2005," Annual Report, African Development Bank, number 61 edited by Koua Louis Kouakou.
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    4. Cynthia Bansak & Brian Chezum, 2009. "How Do Remittances Affect Human Capital Formation of School-Age Boys and Girls?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 145-148, May.
    5. Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Pozo, Susan, 2010. "Accounting for Remittance and Migration Effects on Children's Schooling," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(12), pages 1747-1759, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Migrant children; left-behind children; migration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General

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