14 DAY TRIAL // Migration does not bring happiness, suggests a new study carried out by researchers at the University of Leicester.
The general belief that migrants are happier because they make more money in countries wealthier than their own is contradicted by this study, led by sociologist Dr David Bartram.
The fact that the pursuit of wealth does not bring happiness is disappointing for most economic migrants, but unfortunately they do not realize it before getting there.
Dr Bartram wanted to find out whether people who go to other countries, motivated by a higher income, are actually happier after migrating, but also whether they have or not overestimated the things they expected to achieve and experience.
After looked at the answers given by 1400 people in the World Values Survey, the sociologist concluded that “people generally do not gain greater happiness from earning higher incomes – which suggests that migrants might be mistaken in believing that they will be better off if they can move to a wealthy country.”
Bartram added:“I also considered whether those who choose to migrate to a wealthy country are different from most people in this regard – perhaps they do gain greater happiness from higher incomes.
“So, the research seeks to determine whether in general we should be pessimistic or optimistic about the consequences of migration for the migrants themselves.
“The results suggest that economic migrants might well experience disappointment,” because even though they gain some happiness from a higher income, much more than a native would, the relationship remains weak.
Thew study even says that migrants could be less happy than natives, probably because they expect to be happier thanks to higher incomes, but they get to a point where they want more and so they end up much more disappointed.
“In short, even after an increase migrants find it difficult to feel satisfied with their incomes – just like the rest of us.”
This research could calm down those that are concerned of being “overrun” by immigrants as well as the media, because “the fact is, most people around the world do not want to move to a wealthy country like the UK: perhaps they understand that money is not the most important thing, that there would be a real price to pay in leaving one’s family and community.”
Dr Bartram adds that “many of us are guilty of believing that money is more important for happiness than it is – and this research suggests that migrants are not terribly different in this regard.
“Perhaps the research could also help potential migrants, especially those who are attracted by wealthy-country income prospects, to develop a better understanding of what life as an immigrant in a wealthy country would really be like.”
The “Economic Migration and Happiness: Comparing Immigrants’ and Natives’ Happiness Gains from Income” study was published by Social Indicators Research online on 27th August and will be printed next year.