Migration Networks in the OECD Countries

Abstract

Our paper focuses on the formation and existence of migration networks in the OECD countries. Immigrant networks, or spatial concentration of immigrants from the same region, can be observed in many countries that are net receiver of migration flows. We construct an econometric model for checking for dependency between the number of recent immigrants and the stocks of foreign population at a given country; this is tested against the alternative hypothesis of the dominating influence of economic factors on migration. Using the data from selected OECD countries we find an empirical verification of immigrants’ networking both for the whole volume of foreign immigrants’ inflow and by selected nationalities. Our conclusions show that migration networks exist and are abundant in migration communities in various countries worldwide.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n2p501