Socio-economic & cultural factors affecting migration behavior (A case study of Faisalabad [Pakistan]

The present study was designed to examine the various socio economic and psychological factors shaping the migration behavior of the people. The population for the study consists of male heads of families of the migrants migrated at least 3 years ago, to the Faisalabad city, confined to 3 urban localities of the city. A sample of 150 respondents was drawn by using purposive sampling technique. Interviewing, schedule was used as a tool for data collection. The findings of the analysis show the diversity in the priorities of people of different ages, education and income levels. It was found that the people who had migrated mainly for better education opportunities were elder persons, highly educated and belonged to middle- income group. As far as the employment is concerned, younger people with low education and low income were those who mainly migrated for good job opportunities. It is also clear from the analysis that the respondents having high-income were the only ones who had mainly to improve their standard of life. It was concluded that among the socio-economic factors age, income and education were found as the main factors shaping the migration attitude of the respondents. The majority of the respondents were young adults, not highly educated and professionals and having large-sized families. As far as their economic condition is concerned most of them fell in the low-income group. Most of them migrated for making higher income, getting better education, and achieving a better standard of life. The respondents strongly agreed that there exist a relationship between higher level of fertility and the rapid rate of migration toward cities. But according to our research findings it was not proved as a main factor responsible for migration. The research findings reflect that mostly the people were deprived of the good living conditions and the lack of the basic amenities of life in the villages. So the Pull factors played a major role in shaping the migration behavior of the majority of the respondents. City life attracted them so much that they decided to migrate at any cost. This rapid rate of migration has created many problems in the city life i.e., unemployment, poor provision of social services, contamination of environment and the housing problem for the migrants. People are well aware of these factors, and majority of them also think that they were living a better life in the village. But even though, the pace of migration is still very rapid and people are not prepared to return back to the villages even if they are provided with the good facilities there.