Aspirations for Education and Employment Abroad Among Youth and Parents in Chitwan

Youth migration from low- and middle-income countries to advanced nations is increasing, yet the underlying factors behind these aspirations remain under-researched in countries like Nepal. This study addresses this gap by examining the characteristics of children in Western Chitwan who aspire to stay in Nepal or migrate abroad for study or work. Using data from 1,973 youths, the study explores both youth and parental migration aspirations. Utilizing longitudinal data collected in 2018 (when children were in grade eight) and five years later, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of migration aspirations. The findings indicate that 88% of youths expect to migrate overseas for work or study, whereas 63% of parents anticipate their children will do so. Multiple logistic regression analysis reveals that factors such as gender, caste, ethnicity, household income, private school attendance, and academic performance in grade eight significantly influence aspirations for studying abroad. Multinomial logistic regression results suggest that academically better-performing youths are more likely to prefer staying in Nepal over migrating for work. Interestingly, parents of higher-performing youths are not more likely to favor study abroad over remaining in Nepal, even after accounting for background characteristics, highlighting a potential divergence between youth and parental preferences.