International migration has been a vital aspect of labor markets in the Middle East and North
Africa (MENA), particularly Egypt. Egypt is among the largest ten remittance-receiving
countries in the world (Wahba 2007). The primary objective of this paper is to examine the
determinants of migration intentions among youth in Egypt. Studying factors shaping
development of migration intentions is important to understanding the migration decision
process and predicting future migration flows. I use a recently fielded survey on adolescents
and youth: the 2009 Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE). Based on SYPE, one in three
young men in the age group 15-29 expressed willingness/intention to migrate. I found that
having a migrant on one’s social network is one of the key factors in developing migration
aspirations. The wealthiest youth are more likely to want to migrate to the West. Worrying
about future prospects generally is a push-factor.