This paper examines the pattern and the impact of migration and remittances on household
welfare in Vietnam using fixed-effects regressions and panel data from Vietnam
Household Living Standard Surveys 2010 and 2012. Overall, the effect of migration as
well as remittances on employment of remaining members on home households is small.
People in households with migration and remittances tend to work less than people in
other households. There is no evidence that migration and remittances can help household
members to work more on non-farm activities. Remittances, especially international
remittances help receiving households increase per capita income and per capita
expenditure. Although migration leads to an increase in remittances, it also leads to a
reduction in income earned by migrants if they had not migrated. However, per capita
consumption expenditure of migrant-sending households increases because of a reduction
in household size.