Mixed motives behind migrants' remittance‐sending practices: Evidence from China

Abstract An abundant collection of literature investigates why migrants remit. Migrants' remittance‐sending practices can be driven by either altruism or the insurance motive. In this study, I first develop a stylized theoretical framework that generates testable predictions regarding the two frequently discussed motives. Then, using a panel data set pooled from three waves of the China Laborforce Dynamic Survey (2012–2016), I find empirical evidence for migrants' remittance‐sending practices under mixed motives that incorporate both altruism and insurance. Findings presented in this study are of great significance in understanding family ties and the risk sharing mechanism between rural‐to‐urban migrants and households of origin.