High levels of remittances to countries of origin: Migrants from Portugal are the most likely to send money home

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For the study published in the journal “Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies,” researchers from the University of Zurich (UZH) interviewed about 3,000 people from several European countries living in Switzerland in writing about their money transfers, as the UZH announced on Thursday.

The result: at least 21 percent of respondents send money to their home country at least once a year. Among people from Portugal, 46 percent of all respondents said they send money home every year. People from Germany (15 percent) and Italy (13 percent) are below average.

According to the researchers, this is due to the higher number of second-generation migrants among respondents. In general, second-generation migrants make fewer remittances due to the lower number and strength of their social relationships in their parents’ home countries, the researcher said.

According to the research, the average annual amounts also differ greatly by nationality. People from Britain transfer about 4,000 francs each, followed by Portugal with 2,200 francs and Germany with 1,100 francs. The contributions for Bosnia and Herzegovina are the lowest (324 francs).

Immigrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy and Serbia in particular often use the money transfers to support family and friends, while Portuguese migrants mainly transfer the money to their own accounts.

The payments depend on successful integration into the labor market and therefore on a high income of the migrants and on their ties with their home country. According to the study, identification with Switzerland, the home country, perceived discrimination and knowledge of the Swiss national languages ​​do not play a role. The researchers emphasized in the UZH communication that money transfers to the home country are not a sign of failed integration.

(SDA)

Source:Blick