title: Migration and motivation: the migrant's perspective.
abstract: Migration is often viewed as economically motivated.  However, many of the studies on which this is based are a result of either aggregate data or retrospective questioning of migrants.  The present study indicates that such approaches may give a distorted view of migrants' motives.  The data indicate that nonmonetary career reasons are important instigators of migration among well-educated international migrants.  In addition, these factors tend to be major perceived gains from migration.  However, choice of destination is strongly influenced by location of friends and/or relatives.  Reasons for discrepancies between this and previous studies are noted.
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas; D001519:Behavior; D002170:Canada; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D004467:Economics; D004522:Educational Status; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004651:Employment; D009042:Motivation; D009656:North America; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011584:Psychology; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants
keywords: Americas; Behavior; Canada; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Economic Factors; Educational Status; Employment Status; International Migration; Migrants--men; Migration; Motivation; North America; Northern America; Occupational Status; Population; Population Dynamics; Psychological Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomic Status