China and India’s International Migration within the Asia Pacific Region: Insights from Indirect Estimation for the Period 2000 to 2015

Jasmine Ha, Australian National University
James Raymer , Australian National University
Qing Guan, Australian National University

China and India are the two top origins and destinations for international migrants, yet the absence of migration flow data have hindered knowledge about how these two countries are connected to other origins and destinations within the Asia-Pacific region. This paper fills in the gap by estimating annual international migration flows for China and India between 2000 and 2015. Using a multiplicative component model framework, we borrow migration flow data from 30 other countries in the world and covariate information to produce out-of-sample predictions of total immigration and emigration. Bilateral flows are then estimated using a range of observed auxiliary information such as trade and remittance flows. The result is a complete and consistent account of migration flows amongst 53 countries that allows one to examine how migration has coincided with rapid demographic and economic change in China and India.

See paper

 Presented in Session 67. Migration Measures: Methodological Issues