Survey Data and Personal Remittances Sent from the

Survey Data and Personal Remittances Sent from the USA October 2012 B. Lindsay Lowell Institute for the Study of International Migration Georgetown University

Monthly remittances sent through remitting businesses (NFBIs)

Remittances received by central banks & US foreign-born population Foreign-Born Mexicans & Central Americans, 1980 -2007 Population Remittances 14, 000 $40, 000, 000 $35, 000, 000 12, 000 $30, 000, 000 10, 000 $20, 000, 000 6, 000 $15, 000, 000 4, 000 $10, 000, 000 2, 000 $5, 000, 000 0 $0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 remittances population $25, 000, 000 8, 000

Actual Per Capita Remittances & Imputed Remittances at 2006 Rate Measured Per Capita Imputed remittances (2006 per capita) $3, 500 40, 000, 000 $3, 000 35, 000, 000 per capita 25, 000, 000 $2, 000 20, 000, 000 $1, 500 15, 000, 000 $1, 000 10, 000, 000 $500 5, 000, 000 $0 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 remittances 30, 000, 000 $2, 500

Los Angeles County Mexican Immigrant Residency Status Survey, 2001 • 1. Did ____ send money to friends or relatives in her/his native country in the year 2000? • 2. How much money did ____ send during the year 2000?

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004 • QN 101. Do you regularly send money back to country… – For foreign-born Latinos • Yes = 40% • Monthly amount = $101

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004 101. Do you regularly send money back to country in which you were born? 0 M Missing: Non Latinos 1 Yes 2 No 5 Missing: Native Born Latinos 6 Missing: Latino- DK/Refused Origin 8 Don't Know 9 Refused

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004 QN 102 Born? 102. How often do you send money back to country in which you were 0 M Missing: Non Latinos 1 Once a week 2 A couple of times a month 3 Once a month 4 A few times a year 5 Once a year 6 Less often that 8 Don't Know 9 Refused 10 M Missing: Do not send money 11 M Missing: Native Born Latinos 12 M Missing: Latino- DK/Refused Origin

KAISER-PEW Latino Survey, 2004 102 b. In general, how do you send the money? Do you use? Valid Percent A wire transfer company like Western Union or Money Gram 71 A bank 11 A credit union 0. 6 The mail 6. 7 Someone takes it by hand 10 Don't know 0. 2 Refused 0. 5 Total 100

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008 Read if necessary: We know that people aren't used to talking about money. We are trying to get an overall picture of how families and friends continue to support and keep ties to each other while living in separate countries. We are NOT trying to find out about you or anyone personally. GIVANY -- In the last 12 months, did anyone in this household GIVE or SEND money TO relatives or friends living outside the U. S. ? Please include all money for gifts or loans. Do NOT include money for charities or other organizations or groups. 1 Yes 2 No

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008 MODULE 3: REMITTANCES ASK ALL IF Q 5 = 2 OR R INSERT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FROM Q 4 IF Q 5 = 1, INSERT “PUERTO RICO” IF Q 5 = 3 INSERT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FROM Q 5 a IF (DK OR REFUSED IN Q 4) and ((Q 5=2, D, R) or (Q 5 A=OTHER, D, R)), GO TO Q. 49 43. Have you sent money to anyone in (INSERT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN) over the past year? 1 Yes 2 No 8 (DO NOT READ) Don’t know 9 (DO NOT READ) Refused

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008 ASK Q. 46 IF Q. 43 = 1 46. Have you sent more or less money this year than you did the year before? 1 More (8%) 2 Less (38%) 3 (DO NOT READ) Same amount (14%) 8 (DO NOT READ) Don’t know 9 (DO NOT READ) Refused

Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008 ASK Q. 44 IF Q. 43 = 1 44. How often did you send money last year? 1 Once a week 2 At least once a month 3 Several times in the last year 4 Once in the past year 8 (DO NOT READ) Don’t know 9 (DO NOT READ) Refused

Pew National 2008: method of sending 48. What is the single most important reason for sending money home? % Ordinary expenses, such as food, clothing, school fees 67. 2 Large purchases, such as appliances or home improvements 2. 3 Savings and investments, such as to buy a house or land 4. 1 Family emergencies 22. 5 Any other reason 3. 2 Don't know 0. 2 Refused 0. 6 Total 100

Pew National 2008: Who $ sent to Generally, who do you send it to? Spouse Children Parents Grandparents Brothers/Sisters Aunts/Uncles Nieces/Nephews Parents-in-law Cousin(s) Family (not further specified) To organizations/people who need help Friend(s) Anyone else Don't know Refused Total Percent 7. 6 10. 7 52. 4 5. 3 14. 0 3. 4. 8 2. 5. 2 1. 1. 5. 3. 8. 2. 3 100. 0

Current Population Survey, 2008 GIVNUM About how many times in total over the past 12 months was money given or sent? (Your best guess is fine. ) – Enter number (acceptable range 1 to 97) GIVAMT In the past 12 months, about how much in total dollars was given or sent? (Your best guess is fine. ) – Enter number of dollars sent.

Remittance Surveys: Comparison of Sample Type and Measured Remittances Sample % who Times Sample unit size remit per year Who Remitters only NYC, LA, WDC, Chicago & Miami, 2003– 2004 Latino remitters Individuals Amount, Amount each annual time 3, 541 100. 0 20. 3 261 5, 298 Households 829 49. 8 12. 0 135 1, 618 Individuals 230 41. 9 5. 5 101 1, 352 Individuals 1, 183 61. 2 7. 9 222 2, 292 Households 14, 137 27. 5 1. 9 231 439 Current Population Survey, 2008 Foreign-born Latinos Households 6, 517 33. 5 2. 8 181 506 Stratified random, Latinos by phone LA Mexican Immigrant Residents, 2001 Mexican born Foreign-born Kaiser-Pew Latino Survey, 2004 Latinos Foreign-born Pew National Survey of Latinos, 2008 Latinos Stratified random, US laborforce survey Current Population Survey, 2008

Estimating personal remittances with survey data US Bureau of Economic Estimates of Personal Remittances Sent Abroad: Based on 1992 Legalization Survey vs. 2008 Laborforce Survey (CPS) and Different Predictors Remits per $1000 income Year Income per immi-grant Old model New model Total remits ($billions) Old model New model 2001 31. 3 31. 1 26. 5 27. 1 2002 25, 981 31. 9 30. 9 27. 7 27. 4 2003 26, 180 31. 7 28. 0 27. 5 2004 27, 256 31. 8 30. 4 30. 1 2005 28, 012 32. 9 31. 3 30. 9 2006 28, 453 32. 6 33. 4 34. 3 35. 3 2007 30, 163 32. 5 32. 8 36. 9 37. 1 2008 31, 536 32. 0 38. 5 2009 30, 585 31. 9 30. 8 37. 4 36. 1 2010 25, 633 29, 668 32. 0 31. 0 37. 1 35. 6 Source: Soloveichik and Flatness, 2012, http: //www. fcsm. gov/12 papers/Soloveichik_2012 FCSM_I-D. pdf

Remittance receiving households: Receiving household surveys