Cross-border Flows: Exploring Remittance Patterns in Punjab’s International Migration

Punjabi migrants have not only been key players in global migration, but they have also served as crucial financial pillars for their families back home. Despite Punjab’s long history of emigration, there has been little statistical evidence on the key factors driving remittances. Although extensive literature exists on the micro-economic determinants of remittances, few studies have specifically examined the remittance behaviour of Punjabi migrants, particularly across the three regions of Punjab. This paper investigates the hypotheses for motivations to remit among Punjabi migrants, ranging from pure altruism to self-interest. Using the Heckman two-stage model, the paper analyses both the probability and amount of remittances among all three regions of Punjab, namely, Doaba, Malwa, and Majha. The findings of the study strongly align with altruistic motives, with minimal focus on self-interest. Additionally, the paper highlights the need for stakeholders to transform Punjab’s longstanding “culture” or “tradition” of emigration from Punjab into a “development-oriented” process by streamlining remittance systems to ensure a smoother and efficient flow of funds.