Migration in the Construction Industry and Factors Driving Worker Movement

Abstract

This study is a detailed examination of various factors behind the decision of construction workers to migrate. These factors include economic, social, and political motivations behind such a decision. In this regard, a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods was used. Whereby surveys were conducted on more than 600 construction workers, and over 300 open-ended interviews were also performed. The findings indicate that the economic factors motivate construction workers to migrate, with higher salaries were the leading reason behind migration. It should be noted that there exists a significant positive relationship between salaries and migration distance, where a correlation coefficient of 0.9 was observed between these two variables. Political reasons and immigration policy regulations also encourage migration. Moreover, the results of the study were proven by visual information: the most popular reasons for migration, as shown in a pie chart, were "Higher Wages", "Better Job Opportunities", and "Family Reunion"; a heatmap proved the connection between the two variables: wages and distance; and there is a correlation of 0.7 between job stability and working conditions. This means that this research can be used by both policymakers and stakeholders from the construction industry to develop policies regarding the integration of migrant laborers into the construction market. Through providing evidence on the interaction of social, political, and economic factors that affect the decision-making process, this research makes up for the lack of literature on the subject under consideration.