International labour migration is a main livelihood strategy for many people in Nepal. This article
analyses the migration process from the perspective of migrants and their non-migrating household
members, exploring the institutional regulations that structure the organization of migration and the cash
flows involved. The results are based on a case study conducted in Sainik Basti, Western Nepal, in
2002. The article shows that for different destinations there are specific ways of organizing migration.
These country-specific ways of organizing migration demand specific assets from prospective migrants
and their household members and therefore influence their choice of destination. Savings are remitted
back home mainly by carrying them personally or by using the hundi system. In spite of the risks and
difficulties involved, international labour migration often contributes to sustainable livelihoods. The
main outcomes of migration are increased financial capital, education of the children, migrationspecific
knowledge, and increased social capital. This enlarged asset endowment lowers both investment costs
and risks involved in migration, and thereby increases its potential net return. Each act of migration
therefore facilitates and stimulates subsequentmigration.