IMPACT OF LABOR MIGRATION ON HOUSEHOLD WELFARE: A CASE STUDY OF KERALITE EXPATS IN QATAR

Abstract

The Gulf region accommodates approximately 80.5% of Kerala's 2.2 million expatriate population. Within Qatar, Keralite migrants outnumber Qatari nationals, comprising over half of the Indian diaspora which constitutes 25% of the country's population. Despite this substantial presence, empirical research addressing the socioeconomic ramifications of Keralite migration to Qatar on the welfare of left-behind families remains notably scarce. This thesis investigates the impact of labor migration of Keralites to Qatar on the socioeconomic welfare of households in Kerala, emphasising the migrants' perspectives to deepen the understanding of migration's contribution to socioeconomic development. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study collected data through surveys administered to 472 participants, complemented with semi-structured interviews involving ten purposefully selected respondents from the survey sample. Correlation analyses identified significant associations between migration duration and savings, housing, education, and healthcare access enhancements, though no significant relationships were observed with income or investment. Binary logistic regression analyses demonstrated that extended migration durations significantly elevate the likelihood of initiating new investments, improving housing conditions, enhancing educational access, and increasing healthcare access. This supports hypotheses related to investment and resource access, but not income, with only marginal evidence for savings. Qualitative interviews revealed that financial pressures often offset income gains, household expenditures impede savings, investment patterns vary across age groups irrespective of professional status, and remittances facilitate housing, education, and healthcare improvements. Future research should incorporate longitudinal methodologies to elucidate the complex impacts of migration.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Public Policy