Journal de l'économie mondiale

Migration and Fertility: A Review of Theories and Evidences

Abstract

Majelantle RG and Navaneetham K

Understanding migration and fertility issues would be very relevant in the context of changing demographic dimensions between developed and developing countries, in particular differing age structure of the populations between them. As the developing countries have opportunity for potential demographic dividend due to increase in the supply of labour force, the developed countries would be facing a shortage of labour force and health care burden for old age people. Further, this phenomenon will have repercussion with respect to movement of people from developing countries to developed countries and flow of economy at the global level. At the county level, interregional migrations seems to be increasing due to demographic diversity within the country. Rapid urbanization in the developing countries is another challenge due to rural-urban migration. Therefore, the migratory movement will have greater effect on the future population changes not only within the country level, but also in both developed and developing countries and more so depends on the fertility behavior of the migrants. All these phenomena will have implications on the social and economic dynamics both at the local and global level. The purpose of this note is to review main theories on the relationship between migration and fertility and their empirical evidence.