ABSTRACT

Kerala migration surveys have observed the dynamics of migration in Kerala every five years since 1998. This study observed a set of households over the years by analysing social and economic change brought about by migration. The chapter analyses panel data across four migration surveys starting from 1998, where a total of 358 households were covered. It seeks to answer questions on the changes to household type and composition as well as quality of life due to migration. The results show that over the years, household size has shrunk, indicating a preference for nuclear families. Also, the standard of living of return-migrant households has increased over time but shows a decline among emigrant households after 2008 compared to return emigrants. The quality of life of return out-migrants has also considerably decreased. KMS is the only panel-level migration data that exists in India.