Discussion on Migration and Development: Using Remittances and Circular Migration as Drivers for Development

Although the relationship between migration and development has been widely discussed for decades, a number of unanswered questions and unsettled debates remain. On April 11 and 12, 2003, the MPI-Migration Information Source meeting on “Using Remittances and Circular Migration as Drivers for Development” held at the University of California, San Diego sought to advance the dialogue. This report summarizes the key talking points of the meeting and offers some key summary remarks.

The report traces the evolution of thought on migration and development, discussing old, discredited ideas as well as new and emerging trends. Specifically, the report finds that a renewed interest in understanding the role of remittances, currently outpacing the growth in official development assistance, in development has materialized as discussions over migration’s implications on “brain drain” have shifted towards discussions of “brain gain” and “brain circulation.” Recognizing that migration often fosters an exchange of ideas and practices between diasporas and home countries, the report emphasizes the growing awareness of political and social remittances.

The report also provides an overview of new issues related to circular migration and remittances. Despite the increasingly circular and transnational patterns of migration, the author finds that migration policy remains severely limited by binary conceptions of migration as either “temporary” or “permanent.” Nonetheless, the author does note a couple of successful bilateral arrangements, such as the temporary agricultural program established between Canada and Mexico, that have proven successful in promoting both the protection of worker rights and circularity. 

In addition to discussing the need for better informed data and research on migration and development, the report concludes with a handful of summary remarks on where agreement has been reached, namely: that dire consequences will result if governments attempt to limit or control migration; that data collection and public policy on migration and development lag far behind researchers’ more nuanced understanding of migration and development; and that migration is closely linked to a number of key development issues, but further coordination and collaboration is needed.