Economic Migration and Happiness: Comparing Immigrants’ and Natives’ Happiness Gains from Income

Abstract

Research on happiness casts doubt on the notion that increases in income generally bring greater happiness. This finding can be taken to imply that economic migration might fail to result in increased happiness for the migrants: migration as a means of increasing one's income might be no more effective in raising happiness than other means of increasing one's income. This implication is counterintuitive: it suggests that migrants are mistaken in believing that economic migration is a path to improving one's well-being, at least to the extent that well-being means (or includes) happiness. This paper considers a scenario in which it is less likely that migrants are simply mistaken in this regard. The finding that increased incomes do not lead to greater happiness is an average (non)effect -and migrants might be exceptional in this regard, gaining happiness from increased incomes to a greater extent than most people. The analysis here, using data from the World Values Survey, finds that the association between income and happiness is indeed stronger for immigrants in the USA than for nativesbut even for immigrants that association is still relatively weak. The discussion then considers this finding in light of the fact that immigrants also report lower levels of happiness than natives after controlling for other variables.

Transnational parenting and the well-being of Angolan migrant parents in Europe

“…However, stronger effects are found for happiness and emotional well-being, a result that is in line with findings from transnational family studies that emphasize the emotional difficulties experienced by parents in transnational families (Bernhard et al 2009;Dreby 2007;Fresnoza-Flot 2009;Horton 2009;Parreñas 2005). Although the main way of assessing migrant well-being focuses exclusively on migrants' conditions in the receiving country (Bartram 2011;Knight and Gunatilaka 2010;Safi 2009), our findings suggest that a transnational perspective brings a better understanding of how family life can affect migrant parents' well-being. We show that the well-being of parents with all their children in the receiving country is greater than those with some children in the country of origin.…”

“…The migrant well-being literature generally concentrates on migrant states of mind in the receiving country. One aspect of this literature looks at the mismatch between high aspirations and actual living conditions, which arise from unpleasant and insecure jobs (Knight and Gunatilaka 2010), and false expectations compounded by discrimination in the host society (Bartram 2011;Safi 2009). Being undocumented and having a low socioeconomic status are other conditions that the literature identifies as negatively affecting migrants' well-being.…”

Ethnic Variations in Factors Contributing to the Life Satisfaction of Migrant Wives in South Korea

“…The number of children could be another significant predictor of life satisfaction among immigrants (Bartram, 2011). Having a child could play a positive role in migrant wives' adjustment because their Korean husband and in-laws expected them to have a child to continue their husband's family lineage.…”

“…Family economic status is often identified as an important predictor of immigrants' life satisfaction. Studies have reported that, in general, immigrants who are financially secure or have a higher income level are satisfied with their lives in their new country (Amit, 2010;Bartram, 2011;Helliwell, 2003;Katz, 2009;Massey & Akresh, 2006). Further, the meaning of their socioeconomic status can vary depending on the average income level of the host society and their expectations of the standard of living in the new country.…”

“…Further, the meaning of their socioeconomic status can vary depending on the average income level of the host society and their expectations of the standard of living in the new country. For example, those who move to a richer country tend to be satisfied with their lives (Amit, 2010), and their life satisfaction is related to their socioeconomic status in the new country (Bartram, 2011). Therefore, it may be helpful to understand migrant wives' life satisfaction in light of how immigrants perceive the changes in their socioeconomic status by moving from their home country to the new country and if they believe it is economically difficult to maintain their daily lives in the new country.…”