The Impact of Financial and Social Remittances in Perpetuating Migration (Albanian Migration Context)

The Impact of Financial and Social Remittances

Most studies focus on the impact of financial remittances in the economic development of the countries of origin. King et al, (2013) defines remittances as an important self-help mechanism for individuals and families, whose sacrifice of being away from their family, social group or their country is rewarded. Remittances contribute in increasing household income of migrants and improve their livelihoods. Immigrants through new financial resources also acquire a new social status. De Haas (2006) argues that migration phenomenon contributes to the creation of a new social stratification. Changes in cultural values and social stratification as well affect the extent to which economic and social benefits that come from migrants are distributed among their family, tribal group, etc. Based on a macroeconomic perspective financial remittances have played an important role in creating economic stability in Albania and managing trade deficit amounting to about 20% of GDP each year (Vullnetari 2007, Gëdeshi I & Jorgoni E 2012). While from a micro level perspective financial remittances bring great economic benefits and social services for individuals and their families. The impact of financial remittances in improving economic situation of migrants’ families creates the perception among non-migrant population that migration brings economic prosperity by promoting ongoing migration. Studies show that incomes from remittances are used to buy houses in the city by promoting rural to urban migration.

Besides financial remittances, researchers use the concept of social remittances to refer to the social and cultural impacts of migration to the country of origin as a result of ongoing contacts between migrants and the country of origin. Social remittances constitute a form of cultural diffusion that brings significant impacts on social and cultural values of sending communities (Levitt 1998, De Haas 2007, King et al, 2013).

Social remittance exchanges occur when migrants return to live in or visit their communities of origin, when non-migrants visit their migrant family members or through interchanges of letters, videos, phone calls. Social remittances travel through identifiable pathways; their source and destination are clear. Social remittance transmission occurs between individuals who know one another personally or who are connected to one another through mutual ties (Levitt, 1998: 936).

Researches differentiate between individual and collective social remittances; individuals communicate ideas and practices to each other in their roles as friends, family members, or neighbors. They also communicate in their capacity as members of organizations, hometown association, church (Levitt P & Lamba-Nieves D, 2011: 2).

Vullnetari (2012) treats social remittances as important channels of social and cultural transformation in Albanian society. The impact of social remittances on developing communities of origin depends on a number of factors such as length of stay, country of emigration, the intensity of interactions between migrants and the host society, social and economic context in which migrants settle, etc. In Albanian migration context financial and social remittances have facilitated the process of internal migration and have encouraged an imagination or expectation of ongoing international migration as well.

Albanian Migration- General Background

Migration represents the most important social and economic phenomenon which has affected Albanian society after 1990. Over the last two decades migration phenomenon has been the center of economic, political, social and cultural transformation Albanian society has experienced. Albania’s contemporaneous mass emigration and internal migration over the short span of time since 1990 provides an excellent laboratory to study the interlink between the two types of movement (King, Skeldon & Vullnetari, 2008; 33).

Changes that characterized the Albanian society in the first phase of transition were accompanied by the removal of control of population movements, which accompanied by the massive shift of population from rural to urban areas. About 900, 000 people moved from rural areas to urban centers as well as emigrated to other countries (INSTAT 2004: 10). The transition from a centralized economy to a free market economy, the high rate of unemployment, the destruction of economic structures and political crisis of 1991 and 1997, were the main reasons that emigration became more satisfactory solution for the major problems of Albanians. By the end of 1990, about half a million of Albanians have left the country in search of better life (Biberaj E, 2011: 37). Greece remains the main destination for Albanian emigrants from the south and southeast part of the country (IOM 2007, King & Skeldon 2010, Vullnetari 2012).

Internal and international migration in Albanian context should be studied by an integrated migration theory which considers the two types of migration as interlinked processes. King & Skeldon (2010) consider international migration as an extension of internal migration. Both processes derive from similar causes related to inequalities in development between regions, countries, differences in employment, income, living conditions between cities, countries, etc.

Internal migration leads to international migration and vice versa.

Albanian migration is believed to have been commonly achieved in several phases. Many migrants have migrated internally before doing so internationally, others have initially migrated for a short time to Greece to finance the long-term migration to a further country. Others have moved from rural to urban areas after they have migrated abroad, using financial remittances to facilitate their movement from the village to the city (King 2005, Gëdeshi & Jorgoni 2012, Vullnetari 2012).

Albanian migration trajectories are a combination of internal migration, international and return migration. The most common pattern in Albanian migration context is the emigration abroad, followed by a shift of the individual or family from rural to urban areas within the country.

From the perspective of internal migrants there is a significant correlation between the migration of people abroad and the movement of their family members from rural to urban centers. In most cases, internal migration is motivated and financially supported by the emigration of a member of the family.

Case Studies

The first migration history belongs to Daniela and her family. Daniela is 35 years old, from Zëmblak village of Korça District. She got married in 1999 and emigrated to Greece with her husband one week after her wedding. They have a son and a daughter, who are born in Greece. Her husband comes from the same village and had emigrated in Thessaloniki (Greece) since he was 18 years old. He lived with his cousin (who had helped him establish and find work when he first arrived to Greece) in a small house and they used to share the rent of the house for several years. He continued to live in the same house with his wife for six months and then they (Daniela and her husband) moved to another house. After one year their son was born. For two years Daniela worked as a daily paid house cleaner, doing several works to Greek families. From 2002 she worked in a confectionery while her husband continued to work in constriction (he worked in construction since he first emigrated to Greece). They visited their village every year during summer time. Daniela’s husband often sent money to his parents who lived in Zemblak village. They spent the money for daily needs and the rest of the money was saved. In 2005 Daniela’s husband bought a shop in his ownership in Korça city with the money saved from their work in Greece. In 2006 their daughter was born. They continued to live and work in Greece until 2012 when Daniela and her family decided to come back to Albania. They moved to Korça city, and lived in a rented apartment. They invested to their estate, bought in 2005 in Korça city, by running a butcher shop. Since 2012 they both work in their family business and continue to live in a rented apartment in Korça city. They are planning to buy their own house in this city. During the interview Daniela tells many details from their live to Greece. She says “… we have sacrificed a lot during our stay in Greece and have helped many of our relatives and friends from our village who came to Greece next. We have helped them find work and even hold them in our house for a while until they established” (D. H, 34 years old).

The second history belongs to Koço (65 years old) and his family form Korça city. In 1990 he emigrated illegally in Athens (Greece) and found job as a decorator. He left behind his wife and his daughter and son. During the first year of his stay in Greece he tried to provide legal documents based on Greek ethnic origin of his grandfather. After getting the documents his family emigrated to Athens where they lived for 15 years. He continued to work as a decorator while his wife remained home looking after the children (they could afford life with his income). His daughter Heris finished the high school in Greece and then she attended a two year course for hairdresser. She married to Greece with an Albanian husband from Saranda (Albania) and worked as a hair dresser in Athens. They have two sons.

Koço’s son returned in Albania in 2010 after he finished the high school in Greece. He decided to study in Tirana University (Tirana/ Albania). Two years later in 2012 Koço and his wife bought an apartment in Tirana city with money saved from work in Greece. They moved in Tirana and joined with their son who has just graduated and works as an interpreter of Greek language in Tirana city.

These case-histories of Albanian families represent a variation of migration patterns and different destinations. As it is mentioned above international migration may lead to internal movements. In both case-histories financial remittances and migrant networks play an important role in perpetuating migration phenomenon.