The multi-level determinants of international migration aspirations in 25 communities in Africa, Asia and the Middle East

• Using a multi-level design, we ask which societal circumstances and individual characteristics make people wish to migrate to another country. • We draw on a large-scale survey conducted in 25 communities in ten countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. • Determinants at the individual and community level both contribute to forming migration aspirations. • The community level analysis shows that individual-level factors are far from consistent in determining who has / has not migration aspirations. In this article we ask which societal circumstances and individual characteristics make people wish to migrate to another country. Drawing on a large-scale survey conducted in 25 communities in ten countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, we conduct multi-level regression analysis, allowing us to assess the effects of diverse individual and community-level determinants on international migration aspirations. This multi-level design has delivered two insights in particular. First, determinants at the individual and community level both contribute to forming migration aspirations. Second, the analysis at the community level shows that individual-level factors are far from consistent in determining who has migration aspirations and who does not. We conclude that such multi-level analysis holds much potential for generating greater understanding of how migration processes work.