Determinants and implications of migration transfers to developing countries.

Summary This thesis proposes four original empirical contributions on the determinants and implications of remittances paid by international migrants to developing countries. Using aggregate data on bilateral remittances collected from the National Bank of Romania, we show that remittances are part of an implicit loan contract between migrants and their families. Using ordinary least squares and instrumental variables methods, we show that migrants' education level and geographical remoteness have a positive impact on bilateral remittances during the 2005-2007 period. Using longitudinal survey data collected from Albanian households by the World Bank, we show that migratory transfers are driven by mixed motives, mixing both altruism and exchange of services. Furthermore, we link these motives to their financial impact. Using microeconometric evaluation methods, we show that remittances have a positive impact on the financial satisfaction of recipients during the 2002-2004 period. Using the same survey data, we show, through fixed and random effects models, that Albanian households are more optimistic when they have experienced an improvement in their financial situation in the past and when they receive migratory transfers. Comparing expectations and realizations, we find that recipients tend to overestimate their financial situation during the 2002-2004 period. Finally, using aggregate remittance data from the World Bank and forestry data from the FAO, we examine the role of remittances on the environment, through the example of deforestation in developing countries. We show that the share of remittances received in GDP reduces deforestation in developing countries during the period 1990-2005.