Migration Networks and Migration Decision-Making

Settlement Intentions of Recently Arrived Immigrants and Refugees in the Netherlands

“…Also in line with our expectations, we find that social ties to the origin country are negatively related to the intention to stay in the host country. Our study thus to some extent confirms the argument in the recent migration literature on the role of location-specific social capital, which emphasizes the social costs of leaving the host country and the social rewards of returning to the origin country (Güngör & Tansel, 2013;Harvey, 2009;Haug, 2008).…”

“…This contradicts the findings of other studies which find that contacts with both co-ethnics and natives form an incentive to stay in the host country (e.g. Haug, 2008), but is in line with research on the return intentions of Turkish students studying abroad (Güngör & Tansel, 2008). Possible explanations for our findings are that immigrants who have the intention to return to the origin country stimulate other immigrants to return to the origin country, through transnational social ties and by promoting the sense that one is most comfortable around co-ethnics.…”

“…Following the logic of 'location-specific social capital', social ties with people in the origin country are incentives for return migration, because they facilitate re-integration in the origin country (Haug, 2008). On the other hand, both social ties with co-ethnics in the host country and social ties with natives represent social capital at the place of residence, and should therefore be positively associated with the intention to stay in the host country (Haug, 2008).…”

“…Immigrants' settlement intentions are influenced by the spatial proximity to relatives and friends, which determines the social incentives involved in migration decisions (Boyd, 1989;Constant & Massey, 2003;Haug, 2008). Immigrants take into account the social costs of leaving behind family and friends, and the social rewards of reuniting with family and other contacts overseas.…”

“…Following the logic of 'location-specific social capital', social ties with people in the origin country are incentives for return migration, because they facilitate re-integration in the origin country (Haug, 2008). On the other hand, both social ties with co-ethnics in the host country and social ties with natives represent social capital at the place of residence, and should therefore be positively associated with the intention to stay in the host country (Haug, 2008). However, it can also be argued that interaction with co-ethnics in the host country can stimulate return migration, because co-ethnic contacts can be a link in transnational social networks that facilitate return migration (Güngör & Tansel, 2008).…”