Transnational Labour Migration, Debts and Family Economics in Vietnam

Abstract

A report commissioned by the World Bank in 2006 suggests that large parts of international remittances, which increased by 58 per cent to USD 232 billion between 2001 and 2005, were associated with the unprecedented rise in international migration from developing countries (Yeoh et al., 2005: 88). The need for foreign exchange earnings together with the pressure to relieve domestic unemployment are two principal reasons for the promotion of transnational labour migration by labour-sending countries (Wickramasekera, 2002: 8). The potential of reaping positive economic benefits from international migration is immense for poorer countries. However, amore important question arising from these facts and figures is whether increased remittances are automatically translated into enhanced wellbeing for migrant families and, if not, why and in what way migration fails to lead to development in its broadest sense.