For those documents that are not available for download in PDF, please contact the Social Finance Programme secretariat for a copy: SFP@ilo.org

Migrant workers remittances and micro-finance in South Africa - (pdf 671 Kb)
C. Cross, 2003, ILO.

WP 38: Migrant worker remittances and microfinance in Bangladesh - (pdf 317 Kb)
T. Siddiqui, C. Abrar, 2003, ILO.

This report assesses the scope and origin of migrant remittances in Bangladesh. It examines the current role of financial institutions in transferring remittance and macro-economic background against which such transfers takes place. It also evaluates current use of remittance, the characteristics and needs of remittance sending and remittance receiving persons. The study also explores the possible role of micro-finance institutions in attracting, transferring, and administering remittance.

WP 39: Savings and credit associations and remittances: The case of far west Nepalese labour migrants in Delhi, India - (pdf 255 Kb)
S. Thieme, 2003, ILO.

Migration to Delhi is an important fact of life for people in Far West Nepal. Migrants invest their savings in financial self-help associations. Part of these savings is remitted home. Yet the infrastructure for remittances is sub-optimal, so migrants carry their savings. In light of the worsening political situation in Far West Nepal, the risks of a hand-carry system are increasing. This paper explores the issues related to migration between Far West Nepal and Delhi, migrants’ participation in financial self-help associations, and the impact that these systems have on remittance patterns.

WP 40: Etude sur le transfert d'argent des émigrés au Sénégal et les services de transfert en microfinance - (pdf 829 Kb)
C. Sander e I. Barro, 2002, OIT.Senegal

Le marché du transfert d’argent au Sénégal a connu une évolution rapide au cours de ces dix dernières années, tant aux niveaux de la nature et du nombre d’acteurs impliqués, de l’importance des sommes concernées, de l’impact socio-économique sur les bénéficiaires de transferts, qu’à celui des mécanismes mis en œuvre.

Malgré une présence toujours marquée du secteur informel sur le marché du transfert d’argent, on assiste depuis quelques années à une plus grande formalisation du service, à travers la quasi-totalité des banques commerciales qui utilisent les services d’opérateurs spécialisés – dont ils sont des agents agréés - tels que Western Union, MoneyGram, Money Express, Télégiros. Une de leurs caractéristiques principales – en plus de la rapidité et de la fiabilité du service - est le fait qu’ils ne proposent aucun autre produit en dehors de la réception et – sauf Télégiros – l’envoi de fonds ; il n’est même pas besoin d’avoir un compte bancaire pour utiliser ces services. Par contre, les institutions de microfinance y voient de plus en plus une source de diversification de leurs produits et de leurs revenus.

WP 21: Migrant Worker Remittances, Microfinance and the Informal Economy: Prospects and Issues - (pdf 106 Kb)
S. Puri & T. Ritzema, 1999, ILO.

In the past remittances attracted the interest of policy-makers and researchers to illustrate the expected real net social benefits of international labour movements. While substantial in the aggregate, remittances are often transactions of small individual size; also, the transmission channel is sometimes informal, unregulated and parallel. There is extensive anecdotal evidence of couriers who transport money on behalf of the migrant worker from the country of residence to the country of origin. The paper probes into two controversial issues relevant for policy-makers and migrant workers themselves. The first issue is the selection of the transfer channel: what determines the choice between a bank transfer and an informal money courier? Does the preference make sense for the individual migrant worker? What are the risks involved? What is the cost to society? The second issue is the question of whether public authorities can/should influence the direction of migrant worker remittances towards investment in enterprise creation: is there a scope for that? What is the record with previous attempts to influence the direction of remittance flows? Do fiscal or other incentives work?

WP 16: Migrant worker remittances in Lesotho: a review of the deferred pay scheme - (pdf 74 Kb)
Th. Sparreboom & P. Sparreboom-Burger, 1996, ILO.

Migrant labour is an important source of work and income in many countries. At the same time, migration may be viewed as a source of problems. Migrant workers compete with the domestic labour force for scarce job opportunities. Secondly, only part of migrant income is spent in the home country, thus limiting the multiplier effect on local demand. This has given rise to various measures to induce migrants to use particular channels for remittances. This document considers the economic effects of setting up funds with respect to the repatriation of mineworkers' income to Lesotho.

Remesas de mexicanos en el exterior y su vinculación con el desarrollo económico, social y cultural de sus comunidades de origen - (pdf 384 Kb)
M. Lopez Espinosa, OIT

El flujo de remesas provenientes de los mexicanos en el exterior se convirtió en 2001 en términos netos, en la principal fuente de divisas de México. Sin embargo, hasta el momento, no se ha podido encontrar la formula ideal para vincular dichos envíos con el desarrollo sostenible de las comunidades y regiones con altos porcentajes de migrantes, y en particular para disminuir el costo de su transferencia e incrementar su uso productivo.