Lerch, Mathias

2007, Lerch, Mathias, Dahinden, Janine, Wanner, Philippe

Given the growing importance of migrant remittances for transition economies, their impact on economic development is a major policy concern. The study focuses on the supply side of these financial flows by assessing the remittance behaviour of Serbian migrants in Switzerland, one of the major immigrant countries in Europe. The majority of Serbs in Switzerland are involved in interpersonal economic transfers to Serbia. The large majority of senders use informal remittances channels. An economic integration of the migrant households, as well as close transnational relations increase not only the likelihood to remit but also the amounts transferred. The stability of remittances may depend on future migration flows, since the amounts sent drop when length of stay increases.