Urban migration within and across border : factors influencing the choices of destination of Cambodian unskilled labor migrants

Abstract

Economic factor is the primary cause of migration; but it does not mean that economic differentials between regions will always determine the destination of migration. Migration sometimes still continues to exist without such a gap. Evidently, many Cambodian unskilled migrant labors chose to move to Phnom Penh rather than abroad, and for the latter, it was to Thailand rather than to South Korea. This was the case despite a higher payroll there than in Phnom Penh. An explanation is that migration is selective, and the degree of selectivity is determined largely by individual socio-economic characteristics. In other words, the migrants tend to consider different possible destinations and choose the one that fits their attributes the most to maximize the benefit, which is not necessary the highest monetary gain. This study investigates the underlying determinants of the choices of destination of Cambodian unskilled labor migrants both internal and cross-border, using primary qualitative data with the total sample of 80 participants who were working in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia and Thailand and retaining a legal status. In general, the study finds the rural population of Cambodia to have been pushed from their area of origin by a combination of multiple economic factors that restricted their income generating activities. Even so, motivation for their first migration mainly came from each individual migrant rather than a third person, particularly the household. The findings are contradictory to the idea that in Asian culture household often encourages labor migrants to take mobility. In contrast, most interviewees denoted that their family attempted to dissuade them from migrating due to the notions of uncertainty and risks of migration resulted from malfunctioning mass media and limited access to technology. Nonetheless, to prevent from falling deeper into grievous form of impoverishment or indebtedness, migration was considered a must rather than just an option. That is to say, migration for Cambodian rural population was apparently a mechanism to ensure their continuous survival instead of a method for extra earning against unfortunate agricultural shocks or crop failure. Ultimately, it is discerned that multiple roles of social connection at the destination in facilitating pre, during, and post successful migration process regularly conclude the decision on migration destination.