Abstract:
The increasing trend of migration among young individuals in Sri Lanka needs a
comprehensive understanding of the factors driving this phenomenon. This research
investigates the factors that impact migration decision among school leavers in Sri
Lanka, including demographic characteristics, economic, social, technological push
and pull factors, as well as personal opinions. Data was collected from 146 school
leavers through a questionnaire distributed in Colombo and Sri Jayawardenapura
educational zones using a two-stage cluster sampling technique. Factor analysis and
binary logistic regression were employed to identify the factors. The findings revealed
three key factors influencing migration intention. The findings suggest that school
leavers with an intention to return have a notably higher likelihood (91.87%) of also
intending to migrate compared to those without a return intention. Additionally, for
each unit increase in social pull factors, the odds of having a migration intention rise
by approximately 6.355 times (or 86.40%), when other variables are controlled.
Similarly, an increase in economic pull factors raises migration intention odds by
about 6.233 times (or 86.17%), indicating that both social and economic motivators
significantly impact school leavers' migration aspirations. Based on these results,
recommendations are that efforts should be made to create a supportive environment
that encourages school leavers to consider returning to Sri Lanka. Addressing social
aspects that attract migration, stimulating economic development, investing in
education and skills development, providing accurate information, and implementing
monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are crucial steps to effectively manage
migration intentions among school leavers.
