trends senders and receivers problems with transfer system potential of remittances problems of...
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Trends Senders and Receivers Problems with Transfer SystemPotential of RemittancesProblems of Remittances
A transfer of money by a foreign worker to his home country.
Money sent home by migrants constitutes the second largest financial inflow to many developing countries.
Family remittances - This is money sent by individual immigrants to family and friends back home.
Community remittances - This is money sent by individual immigrants and by hometown associations to communities in their home country.
Can help to reduce poverty Help smooth household consumption Lead to increase household expenditures
Source: www.sela.org
Source: www.sela.org
Country $ billion
Mexico 25.0
Colombia 4.6
Brazil 4.5
Guatemala 4.1
El Salvador 3.6
Dominican Republic 3.2
Ecuador 3.2
Honduras 2.6
Jamaica 2.0
Peru 2.0Source: World Bank Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008
Country % of GDP
Honduras 25.6
Guyana 24.3
Haiti 21.6
Jamaica 18.5
El Salvador 18.2
Nicaragua 12.2
Guatemala 10.3
Dominican Republic 10.0
Ecuador 7.2
Bolivia 5.5
Source: World Bank Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008
Remittances began to slow down in the third quarter of 2008.
This slowdown is expected to deepen further in 2009 in response to the global financial crisis.
Florida 73% - 50% Georgia
85% - 53% Utah & New Mexico
57% -31% North Carolina &
Virginia 88% - 59%
www.worldbank.org
According to the Pew Hispanic Center: 60% of U.S remittance senders are male. 47% of all Hispanics born outside the U.S regularly
send money to their country of origin. About 64% of remittance senders have less
expectations of permanently staying in the foreign country.
60% of 16.5 million sent estimated $30 billion during 2004
Sent approximately 10% of household income
“Traditional sending” states:◦ New York, California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey
Two–thirds of all recipients of foreign remittances are women.
Remittance money received is normally spent on necessities.
Remittances 50-80% of household income.
Formal vs. Informal Channels
Cost of Transfer
Inadequate Financial Infrastructure
Formal◦ Banks◦ Money Transfer Operators
Informal◦ Mail◦ Friends◦ Self
15-20% of total
MTOs charge more for smaller amounts
Other fees◦ Currency conversion fees◦ Expedite fees◦ Recipient fees
Financial institutions lacking in rural areas
Smaller institutions fill market
Financial education needed
More stable than capital flows
Some countries use remittance flows as guarantees to obtain loans
Two types:◦ Family remittances◦ Collective/community remittances
Source: www.sela.org
Type of remittance
Sender Receiver Uses
Family remittances
Individual migrants
Relatives in the country of origin
Coverage of basic needs of the families
Relatives, partners or the same migrant
Investment in small businesses and enterprises
Collective or community remittances
Migrants’ groups
Organizations or leaders in communities of origin. Local governments
Social projects:Small-scale infrastructure projects.
Partners/investors
Productive investments in small- and medium-size enterprises.
Governments want to harness the potential of remittances.
Can teach recipients about the potential of remittances.
Ultimately, remittances are private.
“Ghost-town” phenomenon
“Easy money”
Inequality
Long-run effects of remittances inconclusive
Short-term effects vary from country to country
Remittance flows might decrease as migrants return to country of origin