Background: In Vietnam, reports either present general patterns of internal migration or the migration
characteristics of specific subgroups. Reports are often based on small numbers and do not examine the
relationships between socioeconomic factors and migration. Different reports classify migrant populations
differently, presenting difficulties for researchers and policymakers to gain a consistent picture of migration
(particularly of interprovincial migration) and limiting the ability of policymakers to plan services
appropriately. This study describes the characteristics of all migrants in Vietnam, focusing on interprovincial
migrants, and examines age and sex trends and correlations among in-migration, urbanization, and
individual income.
Methods: We analyzed data from the 15% sample survey in the 2009 Population and Housing Census, the 3%
sample in the 1999 national census, the 5% sample in the 1989 national census, and selected data from the
2008 Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey. Logistic regression was used to identify socioeconomic
factors related to migration.
Results: In 2009, of 6.7 million internal migrants (approximately 6.5% of the total population), 3.4 million
were interprovincial migrants. Three notable trends were observed between 1989 and 2009: (i) the total
population is characterized by increasing proportions of migrants; (ii) the proportion of female migrants is
growing; and (iii) the average age of migrants is decreasing. Socioeconomic factors related to interprovincial
migration include provincial economic status (monthly income per capita: OR4.62, p0.005) and
urbanization (proportion of urban population: OR3.47, p0.019), suggesting that provinces with high
monthly income per capita and urbanization are more likely to have higher rates of in-migration.
Conclusion: These findings reflect the effects of unequally growing labor markets in Vietnamese provinces on
migration, and are suggestive of infrastructure improvements and public service needs in these areas. Analysis
of migration can provide useful information for planning health and social services and for policymaking for
national economic development.
Ke