Household migration decisions: Understanding Ethiopians irregular migration from Kembata-Tembaro zone to the Republic of South Africa

Abstract

This research intends to shed light on the household migration decision-making process of Ethiopian irregular migrants heading to the Republic of South Africa. Data were drawn from a cross-sectional household survey (n = 659) and in-depth interviews (n = 24) conducted in 2022. Descriptive statistics, binary logistic regressions and thematic analysis were employed to analyse the data. Our findings reveal that being a young male, having a large household size, the presence of family members and smugglers positively influence households' decisions for irregular migration. Possession of farmland, being employed and married have a negative influence on household decisions for migration. The study findings further show that prior information about the migration destination is important in the household's migration decision-making process. We suggest that government actions and policy interventions should be based on such empirical evidence to promote safe and regular migrations while addressing potential migrants' aspirations and needs in their pursuit of a better life.