Survey Data and Personal Remittances Sent from the USA October 2012 B. Lindsay Lowell Institute for the Study of International Migration Georgetown University.

Survey Data and Personal Remittances Sent from the USA

October 2012

B. Lindsay LowellInstitute for the Study of International Migration

Georgetown University

Monthly remittances sent through remitting businesses (NFBIs)

Remittances received by central banks& US foreign-born population

Los Angeles County Mexican Immigrant Residency Status Survey, 2001

• 1. Did ________ send money to friends or relatives in her/his native country in the year 2000?

• 2. How much money did ________ send during the year 2000?

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004

• QN101 101. Do you regularly send money back to country…

– For foreign-born Latinos• Yes = 40%• Monthly amount = $101

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004

101.Do you regularly send money back to country in which you were born?

0 M Missing: Non Latinos1 Yes2 No5 Missing: Native Born Latinos6 Missing: Latino- DK/Refused Origin8 Don't Know9 Refused

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004

QN102 102. How often do you send money back to country in which you were Born?

0 M Missing: Non Latinos1 Once a week2 A couple of times a month3 Once a month4 A few times a year5 Once a year6 Less often than that8 Don't Know9 Refused10 M Missing: Do not send money11 M Missing: Native Born Latinos12 M Missing: Latino- DK/Refused Origin

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004

102b. In general, how do you send the money? Do you use?

Valid Percent

A wire transfer company like Western Union or Money Gram 71

A bank 11

A credit union 0.6

The mail 6.7

Someone takes it by hand 10

Don't know 0.2

Refused 0.5

Total 100

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008

Read if necessary: We know that people aren't used to talking about money. We are trying to get an overall picture of how families and friends continue to support and keep ties to each other while living in separate countries. We are NOT trying to find out about you or anyone personally. GIVANY -- In the last 12 months, did anyone in this household GIVE or SEND money TO relatives or friends living outside the U.S.? Please include all money for gifts or loans.Do NOT include money for charities or other organizations or groups. 1 Yes2 No

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008

MODULE 3: REMITTANCESASK ALLIF Q5 = 2 OR R INSERT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FROM Q4IF Q5 = 1, INSERT “PUERTO RICO”IF Q5 = 3 INSERT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FROM Q5aIF (DK OR REFUSED IN Q4) and ((Q5=2, D, R) or (Q5A=OTHER, D, R)), GO TO Q.49

43. Have you sent money to anyone in (INSERT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN) over the past year?1 Yes2 No8 (DO NOT READ) Don’t know9 (DO NOT READ) Refused

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008

ASK Q.46 IF Q.43 = 146. Have you sent more or less money this year than you did the year before?1 More (8%)2 Less (38%)3 (DO NOT READ) Same amount (14%)8 (DO NOT READ) Don’t know9 (DO NOT READ) Refused

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008

ASK Q.44 IF Q.43 = 144. How often did you send money last year?1 Once a week2 At least once a month3 Several times in the last year4 Once in the past year8 (DO NOT READ) Don’t know9 (DO NOT READ) Refused

Pew National 2008:method of sending

48. What is the single most important reason for sending money home? %

Ordinary expenses, such as food, clothing, school fees 67.2

Large purchases, such as appliances or home improvements 2.3

Savings and investments, such as to buy a house or land 4.1

Family emergencies 22.5

Any other reason 3.2

Don't know 0.2

Refused 0.6

Total 100

Pew National 2008:Who $ sent to

Generally, who do you send it to? PercentSpouse 7.6Children 10.7Parents 52.4Grandparents 5.3Brothers/Sisters 14.0Aunts/Uncles 3.4Nieces/Nephews .8Parents-in-law 2.5Cousin(s) .2Family (not further specified) 1.1To organizations/people who need help .5Friend(s) .3Anyone else .8Don't know .2Refused .3Total 100.0

Current Population Survey, 2008

GIVNUM About how many times in total over the past 12 months was money given or sent? (Your best guess is fine.)

– Enter number (acceptable range 1 to 97)

GIVAMT In the past 12 months, about how much in total dollars was given or sent? (Your best guess is fine.)

– Enter number of dollars sent.

Remittance Surveys: Comparison of Sample Type and Measured Remittances

Sample Who Sample unit Sample size

% who remit

Times per year

Amount, each time

Amount annual

Remitters onlyNYC, LA, WDC, Chicago & Miami, 2003–2004 Latino remitters Individuals 3,541 100.0 20.3 261 5,298

Stratified random, Latinos by phone

LA Mexican Immigrant Residents, 2001 Mexican born Households 829 49.8 12.0 135 1,618

Kaiser-Pew Latino Survey, 2004Foreign-born Latinos Individuals 230 41.9 5.5 101 1,352

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008Foreign-born Latinos Individuals 1,183 61.2 7.9 222 2,292

Stratified random, US laborforce survey

Current Population Survey, 2008 Foreign-born Households 14,137 27.5 1.9 231 439

Current Population Survey, 2008Foreign-born Latinos Households 6,517 33.5 2.8 181 506

Estimating personal remittances with survey data

US Bureau of Economic Estimates of Personal Remittances Sent Abroad: Based on 1992 Legalization Survey vs. 2008 Laborforce Survey (CPS) and Different Predictors

Year Income per immi-grant

Remits per $1000 income Total remits ($billions)

Old model New model Old model New model

2001 25,633 31.3 31.1 26.5 27.1

2002 25,981 31.9 30.9 27.7 27.4

2003 26,180 31.7 31.7 28.0 27.5

2004 27,256 31.6 31.8 30.4 30.1

2005 28,012 32.9 31.3 31.3 30.9

2006 28,453 32.6 33.4 34.3 35.3

2007 30,163 32.5 32.8 36.9 37.1

2008 31,536 32.0 32.0 38.5 38.5

2009 30,585 31.9 30.8 37.4 36.1

2010 29,668 32.0 31.0 37.1 35.6

Source: Soloveichik and Flatness, 2012, http://www.fcsm.gov/12papers/Soloveichik_2012FCSM_I-D.pdf

Remittance receiving households:Receiving household surveys